Is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-Rajkummar Rao's pairing in Fanney Khan a weird combo?

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Acting is the 'art of giving' for him and Rajkummar Rao says he would not be truthful to this belief if insecurities overpower him as a performer. Rao is the man of the moment in Bollywood with back-to-back projects and while he calls his routine “hectic”, he is not complaining.

"I always feel secure. I can't be a pure actor if I feel insecure. I can’t let other things take over my love for acting. For me its a giving art. It is not something which I am doing for myself. I am doing it for my co-actors unless it is something like 'Trapped'. Acting for me is giving to your co-actors," Rao told PTI in an interview. Not insecurities, but nervousness does trouble the 33-year-old actor at times.

“There are times when I do feel very nervous when I start a film. And I feel very nervous before the release. I do get stuck in some scenes but that’s very natural and human. It happens to all the artists in the world,” he adds. Rao believes the change in the definition of a “hero” in Hindi cinema has opened a lot of avenues for actors like him and he credits writers, new age directors and audiences for this shift.

“They are the ones who are writing such characters and audiences are interested in watching them. People are falling in love with characters now and that is why writers are creating such stories. I am really happy that such stories are getting prominence. “That is the reason why actors like me are getting the chances to portray great characters on-screen. I think it’s the relatability factor which works between me and the audiences. I am one of them. They connect with me as they see a part of them in me,” he says.

The actor is currently one of the busiest stars in the film industry with films like 'Fanney Khan', 'Stree', '5 Weddings', 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga' in his kitty, but he does not mind switching from one set to the other. "It is hectic. But as long as I am enjoying what I am doing and I am getting different parts to play I have no complains. It is definitely manageable and practically possible. I am getting the chance to work on some amazing stories and I will keep doing it.

"People like Anil sir (Anil Kapoor), Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) inspire me to keep moving forward and apart from that, the fact that I love my job as an actor keeps pushing me ahead. I never had a plan B. I honestly wanted to be an actor and dedicate my life to movies," Rao says. The actor is excited about his upcoming film, 'Fanney Khan', which also features Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Pihu Sand and Divya Dutta.

Rao says the film, directed by debutant Atul Manjrekar, is an important story which needs to be told. "It is a great story and I loved my part. It was very exciting to work with Anil sir and Aishwarya. It was a fascinating experience. "My whole romantic side with Aishwarya was really fun. It was great. My character is in awe of her in the film. And I am in awe of her in real-life. It was a very weird combination."

The film has been produced by T-Series, Anil Kapoor Films & Communications Network and Rakeys Omprakash Mehra Pictures. It will be released on August 3.