Rajkummar Rao On Scripting History At Box Office With Stree 2: People Are Taking It As Their Personal Victory | EXCLUSIVE
As Stree 2 hits blockbuster status, Rajkummar Rao shares his excitement and gratitude in an exclusive chat with Zoom. He discusses the joy of making a successful sequel, the camaraderie with his co-stars, and whether 2024 is his year. Read on!
As Rajkummar Rao’s Stree 2 acquires blockbuster status, the brilliant actor can’t stop smiling. Taking a break from the celebrations, he sat down with Zoom for an exclusive interview. During the conversation, he shared his excitement about making box office history, his experience filming the sequel, and his thoughts on whether this year belongs to him.
Excerpts from the interview
Stree 2 is insanely funny and a blockbuster on release how does it feel to be part of such a success at a time when the box office weeps in frustration?
It’s a very humbling experience. It’s still sinking in. We have made Stree 2 with a lot of love and sincerity and am so glad that it’s connected with people and they are showering us with so much love and appreciation. People are taking it as their personal victory. I am so fortunate that I have this direct connection with the audiences it’s because I’m one of their own.
How different and similar were the experiences of shooting for Part 1 and 2?
It was the same energy. We were very sure that we wouldn’t make part 2 with any kind of baggage. We were living like a family and just having an insane amount of fun. The credit for that goes to Amar Kaushik, our director. He made sure that we all were giving our best to the film.
Clearly, you share a terrific rapport with your co-actors. How close have you become to the Stree team?
I’m very very close to them. Amar, Abhishek and Aparshakti, we are like brothers from another mother. Shraddha and I are really good friends too and with Pankaj, there is a lot of mutual respect. It’s a great team to be a part of. Dinesh Vijan makes sure that we all work together and party together. He is like a family to me. I’ve done most of my work with his production company.
Stree 2 is bigger brighter bouncier than the first film. Was that the aim?
The aim was to make an entertaining film for the audience to enjoy and also for us to have a lot of fun while making it. I believe when you have fun while doing a scene it translates on screen. The honesty and sincerity with which we made part 1 was exactly the same in part 2 also.
What according to you makes Stree such a winner?
People relate to these characters. I’ve met so many people who have told me that they feel Bicky is one of their own. I think the novelty of the idea, the dialogues and the world that Stree creates is what makes it so unique.
This is your second success this year. Is 2024 the year of Rajkummar Rao?
There is a lot of gratitude and I’m very happy with the fact that Srikanth, Mr and Mrs Mahi and now Stree 2 have gotten so much love from the audience. More than the box office it’s people’s love that matters to me and to create something unique and to surprise my audience and to surprise myself has always been the aim. I want to grow as an artist with every film and explore new characters with every film. The more challenging the character the more fun it is to explore.
