I used to stare at Shah Rukh Khan posters during my struggling days, confesses Rajkummar Rao

Pic Courtesy: Yogen Shah

New Delhi: Bollywood's one of the most talented finds Rajkummar Rao has slowly made a name for himself in the industry. He has impressed one and sundry with his acting prowess and choice of films such as 'Newton', 'Shahid' and 'Trapped'.

The actor in his recent interview with 'Humans Of Bombay' opened up on his struggling days and how superstar Shah Rukh Khan was his inspiration. The Humans of Bombay shared an excerpt of his interview on their Instagram page. It reads: “Growing up, I was fascinated with Shah Rukh Sir–I used to stare at his posters & think that if an outsider could make it as big as him, then maybe there was hope for me. It wasn’t rosy though–I didn’t get work after I came to Mumbai. I only got small jobs–I’d be like the 10th person standing in a random newspaper ad! I made 8-10k a month–but there were days when I didn’t have money & I’d call my friends saying, ‘Can I come over to eat?’ Giving up wasn’t an option. There was never a plan B. I was constantly on the hunt for auditions–I met with countless ADs & casting directors. They would call me in for small roles & I’d try to convince them to let me audition for the bigger parts–I was turned down. But I wasn’t demotivated.”

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“Growing up, I was fascinated with Shah Rukh Sir–I used to stare at his posters & think that if an outsider could make it as big as him, then maybe there was hope for me. It wasn’t rosy though–I didn’t get work after I came to Mumbai. I only got small jobs–I’d be like the 10th person standing in a random newspaper ad! I made 8-10k a month–but there were days when I didn’t have money & I’d call my friends saying, ‘Can I come over to eat?’ Giving up wasn’t an option. There was never a plan B. I was constantly on the hunt for auditions–I met with countless ADs & casting directors. They would call me in for small roles & I’d try to convince them to let me audition for the bigger parts–I was turned down. But I wasn’t demotivated. I persistently followed up with Atul Mongia till he finally called me to audition for Love Sex aur Dhokha. A week went by & I hadn’t heard back–that’s when I questioned, ‘Will they call?’ Then it happened...everything I worked for culminated in that one moment. I was at home when I got the most important call of my life. The words were, ‘Ho gaya, you got the film!’ I fell to my knees, cried & called my mom. The movie released & that’s when the doors opened. But I’ll tell you a stand out moment–it was sometime after Queen. I was shooting in Mehboob & heard that Shah Rukh Sir was there too. So I thought this was my chance–maybe I could meet him. I sent a message across–I didn’t think he’d know me, but he called me to his trailer. He knew my entire bio! He made me feel so special–I was already a fan, but that day I was probably his biggest. I was nervous and in awe throughout. I once spoke to his posters & now there he was, in front of me. How can I even explain what that felt like? What’s ironic is, that the people who in the beginning weren’t interested in me for a lead role–today offer me films. I’m the same actor, the same person, but now I’m offered the roles. I’ve believed in my craft, even when things weren’t going well. I just knew–I put it out in the Universe & attracted it. Remember, no matter what anyone says, no one will believe in you, the way YOU do–so hustle & let the Universe do the rest.”

A post shared by Humans of Bombay (@officialhumansofbombay) on Aug 7, 2018 at 5:48am PDT

On the professional front, Rajkummar was last seen in 'Fanney Khan' starring Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles. The actor had was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his powerful portrayal in 'Shahid' (2013).

Also, his role of a government clerk in black comedy 'Newton' won him accolades and was selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.