Rajkummar Rao
Raj Kumar Yadav (born 31 August 1984), known professionally as Rajkummar Rao, is an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award, three Filmfare Awards, and an Asia Pacific Screen Award.
Rajkummar Rao | |
---|---|
Rajkumar Rao at Filmfare Glamour and Style Awards in 2019 | |
Born | Raj Kumar Yadav 31 August 1984 |
Alma mater | Film and Television Institute of India |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2010–present |
Partner(s) | Patralekha Paul (2010–present) |
Awards | Full list |
Rao graduated from the University of Delhi and went on to study acting at the Film and Television Institute of India. He then moved to Mumbai and made his film debut with Dibakar Banerjee's found footage anthology film Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010). After a few supporting roles in films like Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 (2012) and Talaash: The Answer Lies Within, he had his breakthrough with the drama film Kai Po Che! in 2013. He rose to prominence with his portrayal of lawyer Shahid Azmi in Hansal Mehta's critically acclaimed biographical drama Shahid (2013), for which he was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor.
Rao went on to feature in the successful romantic comedy Queen (2014), Aligarh (2016) and Trapped (2016). The last of these earned him another Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. Among his 2017 releases, the romantic comedy Bareilly Ki Barfi and the black comedy Newton were both commercial successes and won him several accolades; the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for the former and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Actor for the latter. In 2018, he starred in the horror comedy Stree, which is the highest grossing film of his career so far.
Early and personal life
Rajkummar Rao was born as Raj Kumar Yadav on 31 August, 1984 in Prem Nagar, Gurugram, Haryana, India.[1][2] He had two older siblings and three cousins in an extended family. His father, Satyapal Yadav, was a government employee in the revenue department, and his mother, Kamlesh Yadav, a homemaker.[3] Both his parents are died.[4] He completed his 12th standard from Blue Bells Model School, where he used to participate in school plays.[5] He did his graduation from Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, (University of Delhi) where he was simultaneously doing theatre with Kshitij Repertory and Shri Ram Centre in Delhi.[5][3]
Rao said that he decided to become an actor after seeing Manoj Bajpayee, stating he was "highly influenced" by the performance.[3] In 2008, Rao enrolled in a two year acting course in Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune and shifted to Mumbai for a film career.[6] Rao is a vegetarian.[7] He had changed his surname to Rao from Yadav in 2014 and also added an extra 'm' to his name. He stated the reason: "“Rao or Yadav, I can use either of the surnames as both are family names. As far as the double ‘m’ in the first name is concerned, it's for my mother. She believes in numerology."[8] Rao has been in a relationship with actress Patralekha Paul since 2010.[9]
Career
Debut and other works (2010-2012)
After graduating from FTII in 2008, Rao spent the next year visiting studios and meeting casting directors.[6] He did a small appearance as a news reader in Ram Gopal Varma's 2010 political thriller Rann, for which he was not credited.[10] After reading in a newspaper advertisement that mentioned Dibakar Banerjee was looking for newcomers for his found footage anthology film Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010), he auditioned for the film and was finalised.[11] The film consisted of three stories, with Rao appearing in the second story opposite Neha Chauhan. He played Adarsh, a supermarket supervisor who con's an employee into sleeping with him so he can record the act on hidden camera and sell it.[3] To resemble the role, he had to lose six kilograms (13 lb) of weight in a month.[12] The film and Rao's performance met with acclaim from critics.[13] It also turned out to be a profitable box-office venture.[14]
Subsequently after the success of his debut film, Rao was offered the lead role by producer Ekta Kapoor in the found footage horror film Ragini MMS (2011). He was initially reluctant for it, as it seemed similar to his previous work, but he took it up after casting director Atul Mongia's insistence.[5] Despite unfavorable critical response, the film was a box-office success.[15][16] His next release was Bejoy Nambiar's crime thriller Shaitan (2011), in which he played a slimy cop.[17] Raja Sen, who was critical of the film, praised Rao's performance calling him "reliably terrific."[18]
Director Anurag Kashyap had liked Rao's performance in Love Sex Aur Dhokha and decided to cast him in Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 (2012), which was a followup to his crime film Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1.[3] He played the supporting role of Shamshad Alam for which he visited Wasseypur to perfect his character and accent.[3] The film was a critical and financial success.[19][20] His subsequent role was of independence activist Lokenath Bal in Bedabrata Pain's historical drama Chittagong (2012), which was based on the Chittagong armoury raid.[21] His final release of the year was Reema Kagti's suspense thriller Talaash: The Answer Lies Within, where he essayed a cop.[22] The film, starring Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles, had worldwide earnings of over ₹1.74 billion (US$24 million) to emerge as the year's eighth highest-grossing Hindi film.[23] Rajeev Masand commented that in just one scene Rao shows "what a good actor can bring even to a small part."[24]
Abhishek Kapoor's buddy drama film Kai Po Che! (2013) was Rao's next venture. Co-starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh, the film was based on Chetan Bhagat's 2008 novel The 3 Mistakes of My Life.[25] The film was released in India on 22 February 2013 and met with acclaim from critics, with praise for the lead performances.[26] Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Deccan Herald felt that Rao "stand out" and played off the role "beautifully".[27] Rao was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.[28]
Shahid and breakthrough (2013-2016)
The year 2013 proved to be a turning point for Rao with the Hansal Mehta-directed biographical drama Shahid, where he played the title role of late lawyer Shahid Azmi. To preparing for the role, Rao met Azmi's family and spent time with them to understand the man and his personality. He also studied the Quran and attended courtrooms to understand how lawyers behave.[29][30] Rao said he was "emotionally drained" as the character was challenging and complex.[30] The film met with critical acclaim upon release, so did his performance.[31] Anupama Chopra called the film Rao's "triumph", "His Shahid has strength, anguish and a controlled anger, but also real charm."[32] The film was also a box-office success;[33] Rao received the National Film Award for Best Actor at the 61st National Film Awards ceremony and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor at the 59th Filmfare Awards.[34][35] His another release was the comedy film Boyss Toh Boyss Hain.[36]
In 2013, Rao essayed the supporting role of a manipulative fiance in the comedy drama Queen. The film had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival and was released theatrically in India on 7 March, 2014.[37] It was a critical and commercial success, grossing ₹970 million (US$14 million) worldwide.[38][39] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV noted that Rao "brings remarkable restraint to bear upon his interpretation of the disgustingly conservative city slicker who cannot see beyond his nose."[40]
The same year he acted in a short film directed by Shlok Sharma along with Vijay Maurya.[41] He collaborated with Mehta for the latter's drama film CityLights (2014). Co-starring Patralekha Paul, the film tells the story of a poor farmer family from Rajasthan coming to Mumbai in search of livelihood.[42] For the role, Rao lived in the small town of Sadri in the Pali district of Rajasthan for a month, grew a moustache and became well-versed with the dialect.[5] The film and Rao's performance were praised by critics with Sweta Kaushal of Hindustan Times writing that he "slip effortlessly" into the role.[43] It proved to be a moderate financial success.[44]
In 2015, Rao appeared in a supporting role in Dolly Ki Doli, co-starring Sonam K Ahuja, Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma. It met with mixed reviews and was an average grosser at the box-office.[45] Its followup was the Mohit Suri-directed romantic drama Hamari Adhuri Kahani (2015), where he played an abusive husband to Vasudha Prasad (played by Vidya Balan).[46] He returned to work with Mehta for the biographical drama Aligarh. Based on the life of professor Ramchandra Siras, the film had Manoj Bajpayee playing the lead role, while Rao essayed a journalist who tries to dig the story. Aligarh met with critical acclaim upon release, with particular praise for Bajpayee and Rao's performance. Sukanya Verma called Rao "pitch-perfect in his role of "inquisitive journalist."[47] Rao was also nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.[48]
Rao collaborated with Vikramaditya Motwane for his directorial venture, the survival drama Trapped (2016). It tells the story of a guy who gets trapped in his apartment room without food, water and electricity for days. Rao found the role of Shaurya to be one of his most challenging works to date.[49] He had to lose weight and remained on a carrot and coffee diet throughout the course of filming for accurate depiction.[50][51] Despite being a vegan, Rao also ate meat in some of the scenes for the first time in his life, as Motwane preferred it to be realistic.[52] Trapped premiere at the 2016 Mumbai Film Festival and was released theatrically on 17 March, 2017 to positive reviews.[53] In a positive review, Subhash K. Jha wrote that Rao "immerses himself in the judiciously assembled plot with such radiant authenticity that after a while we cease to watch the skill that underlines the outstanding performance."[54] Rao won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor.[55]
Commercial success (2017-present)
2017 proved to be a major year for Rao. His first release was the romantic comedy Behen Hogi Teri along with Shruti Haasan; it met with unfavorable critical response who praised his performance.[56] It was followed by another romantic comedy titled Bareilly Ki Barfi, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and co-starring Kriti Sanon and Ayushmann Khurrana. The film and Rao's performance met with mostly positive reviews. Namrata Joshi wrote: "Rao is a hoot and brings the house down with his chameleon turn and comic timing — simpering simpleton one minute, full of swagger the next; a role that could have become a caricature in the hands of a lesser actor."[57] The film was also a commercial success and bagged Rao a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.[58][59]
Amit V. Masurkar's black comedy flick Newton was Rao's next film. In it, he played the role of an upright government clerk sent on election duty to a Naxal-controlled town. He suggested the director if he could curl his hair and do continuous eye blinking to make the character distinct, to which he agreed.[60] The film had its world premier at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival and was released in India on 22 September, 2017.[61] Newton met with critical acclaim, so did Rao's performance.[62] Rajeev Masand mentioned, "It’s hard to separate the actor from the character, and not many of our artistes can claim to possess that gift."[63] The role earned him the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Actor and a nomination for Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor.[64][65] He also did a cameo appearance in Dinesh Vijan's Raabta (2017). He had to apply prosthetic's for five-six hours every day to look like a 324-year-old man in it.[66]
His final theatrical release of the year was Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana with Kriti Kharbanda, which met with mixed critical response.[67] He also made his digital debut with ALTBalaji's historical biographical web mini-series Bose: Dead/Alive. Based on the 2012 book India's Biggest Cover-up by Anuj Dhar, the show had portraying nationalist leader Subhash Chandra Bose. For the role, Rao gained 13 kilogram weight and went half bald.[68] Anvita Singh of India Today felt that its "not the actor's best performance, nevertheless, being the skillful actor that he is, Rajkummar does grab your attention."[69]
Rao reunited with Mehta for the biographical crime film Omerta, where he portrayed the role of terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. To prepare for the role, Rao watched several videos, documentaries and hate speeches of Sheikh repeatedly to "gather a lot of hatred and anger" inside himself.[70] He expressed that he was "disturbed" while shooting the film because of the character he was playing and called it "easily the toughest character" he has played till date.[70][71] The film had its world premier at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in India on 4 May, 2018.[72] The film and Rao's performance met with critical acclaim, with Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV calling it a "pitch perfect performance."[73]
He next starred in the musical comedy Fanney Khan (2018) along with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. A remake of the 2000 Belgian film Everybody's Famous!, the film was a critical and commercial failure.[74] Stree (2018), the Amar Kaushik-directed horror comedy was his next release. It was based on the Bangalore urban legend known as Nale Ba and also starred Shraddha Kapoor. The film and Rao's performance met with positive critical feedback. Rachit Gupta of The Times of India noted that Rao "handles the many shades of comedy, horror and romance with great ease."[75] It also earned him a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[76] Stree was a major financial success.[77] The same year, Rao appeared briefly in Tabrez Noorani's Love Sonia, which was about sex trafficking.[78] His final release of the year was 5 Weddings.[79]
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019), a film about a closeted lesbian, was Rao's first film of 2019. Co-starring Sonam K Ahuja, Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla, the film was received warmly by the critics for its positive representation of homosexuality. It, however, failed to do well commercially.[80][81] He next appeared along side Kangana Ranaut in the black comedy Judgementall Hai Kya. His performance earned him another Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor nomination.[82] His final acting venture was Mikhil Musale's comedy flick Made in China where he played a Gujarati businessman who receives a proposal to market an aphrodisiac in India from China.[83] The film, based on the namesake novel by Parinda Joshi, met with mixed critical response. Anna M. M. Vetticad, who was critical of the film, praised Rao: "The best thing about it are Rao and [Boman] Irani who are a pleasure to watch even in this middling affair."[84] The film was an average grosser at the box-office.[85]
Rao's first release of 2020 was Ramesh Sippy's romantic drama Shimla Mirchi. It was Sippy's first directorial venture since the 1995 Zamaana Deewana and was delayed for several years.[86] The film was released on 3 January on Netflix.[87]
Upcoming films
Rao will be next seen in Anurag Basu's anthology comedy film Ludo with an ensemble cast of Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Pankaj Tripathi. The film will release on Netflix due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[88] He has also finished filming for Hardik Mehta's comedy horror Roohi Afzana and Hansal Mehta's dark comedy Chhalaang.[89][90] In March 2020, it was announced that Rao will be acting along side Bhumi Pednekar in Badhaai Do, which will be a sequel to the 2018 film Badhaai Ho.[91] He will also feature in the Hindi remake of the 2020 Telugu language thriller film HIT: The First Case, to be directed by Sailesh Kolanu who also directed the original.[92]
In the media
Forbes India featured Rao in their 30 Under 30 list of 2014.[93] He was listed as India's Hottest Vegetarian Celebrity by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in 2017.[94] The same year, he was featured in Forbes India Celebrity 100 list and GQ magazine's list of 50 Most Influential Young Indians.[95][96] He has served as the brand ambassador for Actimaxx, Seventh Street and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's eat right movement.[97][98][99]
Rao donated an undisclosed amount of money to the PM CARES Fund, the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Zomato's Feeding India to help feed families in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.[100]
Films
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Bose: Dead/Alive | Subhas Chandra Bose | ALTBalaji | Web series |
Awards and nominations
References
- Kukreja, Monica (31 August 2017). "Happy birthday Rajkummar Rao: Actor recalls best gift; an army uniform his mom got him". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- Jhunjhunwala, Udita (18 February 2013). "Raj Kumar : Making of an actor". Mint. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
- Bhatia, Uday (19 August 2017). "Rajkummar Rao, our man on screen". Mint. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Rajkummar Rao's father, Satyapal Yadav, dies at 60". Hindustan Times. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Nagpaul, Dipti (26 May 2014). "For two years, my teachers paid my school fees: Rajkummar Rao". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ""I still don't get car parking in my society" – Raj Kumar Yadav". Filmfare. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- "When Strict Vegetarian Rajkummar Rao Had To Eat Non-Veg Fare!". Mid Day. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Vyavahare, Renuka (5 February 2014). "Why Rajkumar Yadav became Rajkummar Rao". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Patralekhaa Opens Up on Dating Rajkummar Rao for 8 Years, Shares How the Two Fell For Each Other". CNN-News18. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Raut, Mamta (13 May 2020). "Riteish Deshmukh Starrer 'Rann': Interesting Trivia Fans Would Love To Know". Republic TV. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Jagannathan, Sahithya (18 June 2011). "'I would love to be born as Marlon Brando'". Tehelka Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 24. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- Joshi, Namrata (12 April 2010). "The Role Call". Outlook. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- "LSD gets a thumbs up from critics". India Today. 21 March 2010. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- "Love Sex aur Dhokha". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- "Ragini MMS". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Ragini MMS". Box Office India. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Shaitan is more SprayTan than Satan". Rediff. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
- Sen, Raja (10 June 2011). "Review: Shaitan is more SprayTan than Satan". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
- "Gangs of Wasseypur". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 (2012)". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- Luce, Jim (28 June 2012). "A Gandhi for Our Age: Indian Film on Independence". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
- "Talaash: Rajkumar Yadav plays a cop on mission". CNN-News18. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Top Ten Worldwide Grossers 2012". Box Office India. 17 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- Masand, Rajeev (30 November 2012). "Strangers in the night". RajeevMasand.com. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- Udasi, Harshikaa (9 February 2013). "Abhishek Kapoor talks about the making of Kai Po Che". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Kai Po Che at Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- Jamkhandikar, Shilpa (20 February 2013). "Kai Po Che: Boy bonding at its best". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "59th Filmfare Awards Nominations". Filmfare. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- "Superstars do not guarantee success: Raj Kumar". The Indian Express. 26 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- "Screen Exclusive: In conversation with 'Shahid' director and on screen Shahid Azmi". The Indian Express. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- "'Shahid' Review Roundup: A Courageous Film that Grips You Till the End". International Business Times. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- Chopra, Anupama (23 October 2013). "Movie Review: Shahid by Anupama Chopra". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- "Shahid: Box office". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
- "61st National Film Awards For 2013" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
- "Winners of 59th Idea Filmfare Awards". Filmfare. 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014.
- "Boyss Toh Boyss Hain". The Times of India. 12 July 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Kangana Ranaut's Queen to be premiered at Busan International Film Festival". NDTV. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Mehta, Ankita (6 March 2014). "'Queen' Review Roundup: Watch it for Kangana's Superb Performance". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- "Top Ten Worldwide Grossers 2014". Box Office India. 8 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- Chatterjee, Saibal (8 May 2014). "Queen movie review". NDTV. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Mangaokar, Shalvi (2 May 2014). "WATCH: Rajkummar Rao's unreleased short film Bombay Mirror". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Sharma, Sanjukta (30 May 2014). "Film Review: CityLights". Mint. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Movie review: Citylights captures the dark side of Mumbai". Hindustan Times. 31 May 2014. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Citylights Box Office collections: Earns 4.21 at BO". The Times of India. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Dolly Ki Doli: 1st Tuesday Box Office Collections". Koimoi. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "'Hamari Adhuri Kahani' – Movie Review". Mid-Day. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- Verma, Sukanya (26 February 2016). "Review: Aligarh is a refreshing and respectful take on homosexuality". Rediff.com. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Nominations for Filmfare Awards 2017". Filmfare. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Sinha, Seema (17 March 2017). "Rajkummar Rao on Trapped: 'One of my most challenging works to date'". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- Sahani, Alaka (14 March 2017). "Presumptions that we can't come up with an original idea bothers me: Trapped director Vikramaditya Motwane". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- Radhakrishnan, Manjusha (15 March 2017). "Rajkumar Rao locks it in with 'Trapped'". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- "Vegeterian [sic] Rajkummar Rao had to eat meat for 'Trapped'!". Times Now. Indo-Asian News Service. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- Goswami, Parismita (16 March 2017). "Trapped movie review roundup: This is what Bollywood critics and celebs have to say about Rajkummar Rao's film". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- Jha, Subhash K. (16 March 2017). "Trapped: Rajkummar Rao takes acting to the next level". The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- "Filmfare awards 2018: Full list of winners with nominees". The Financial Express. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- Goswami, Parismita (10 June 2017). "Behen Hogi Teri movie review roundup: Rajkummar Rao is the only saving grace, say Bollywood critics". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Joshi, Namrata (18 August 2017). "'Bareilly Ki Barfi' review: Romedy of errors". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Underdog Bareilly Ki Barfi shocks, crosses Rs 30 crore collections mark". Financial Express. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Sood, Vanshika (20 January 2018). "Filmfare Awards 2018: Rajkummar Rao Wins for 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'". The Quint. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Jhunjhunwala, Udita (5 November 2017). "Rajkummar Rao's unrivalled rise: LSD to Newton, the actor's blazed a triumphant trail". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Gupta, Shubhra (12 February 2017). "Newton World Premiere: At Berlin fest, Indian satire on Naxals opens to cheers". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Newton". Rotten Tomatoes.
- "Rumble in the jungle". Rajeev Masand. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- Chauhan, Guarang (23 November 2017). "Asia Pacific Screen Awards: Rajkummar Rao bags the best actor trophy as Newton win 2 awards - view list". Times Now. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
- "Critics Best Actor in Leading Role Male 2017 Nominees | Filmfare Awards". Filmfare. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- "Rajkummar Rao's dramatic transformation in Raabta will leave you spellbound". India Today. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana movie review, ratings: This is what critics say about Rajkummar-Kriti film". International Business Times.
- "Playing Real Life Characters Gives Me Real High: Rajkummar Rao". CNN-News18. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Singh, Anvita (23 November 2017). "Bose Dead/Alive review: Rajkummar Rao strikes again; the writing, just about". India Today. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Kameshwari, A. (14 March 2018). "Rajkummar Rao: I was very disturbed while shooting for Omerta". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- Srivastava, Shruti (13 March 2018). "Omerta First Look: Rajkummar Rao As An Antagonist Will Leave You Speechless". NDTV. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- "'Omerta' to have world premier at TIFF". Outlook. 25 July 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Chatterjee, Saibal (3 April 2019). "Omerta Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao Gives Pitch Perfect Performance In This Riveting Thriller". NDTV. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Box Office Collections: Slow start for new releases Fanney Khan, Mulk and Karwaan". Business Today. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Gupta, Rachit (31 August 2018). "Stree Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Nominations for the 64th Vimal Elaichi Filmfare Awards 2019". Filmfare. 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Stree Box Office Collection: Film shocks with incredible business – What Rajkummar Rao-Shraddha Kapoor movie earned". Financial Express. 25 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Chopra, Anupama (13 September 2018). "Love Sonia Movie Review: The Film Has Talent And Good Intentions, But Trips In The Second Half". Film Companion. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Jhunjhunwala, Udita (26 October 2018). "5 Weddings movie review: Rajkummar Rao is a misfit in this jaded film with an uninspiring Nargis Fakhri". Firstpost. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Chauhan, Soumyata (1 February 2019). "I thought it was a joke: When Sonam Kapoor first heard about 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga'". Daily News and Analysis. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- Tetuja, Joginder (8 February 2019). "Box Office: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga flops in one week, Manikarnika – The Queen of Jhansi holds well in second week". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- "Nominations for Filmfare Awards 2020". Filmfare. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Desai, Rahul (25 October 2019). "Made In China Movie Review: A Decent Gujarat Tale, But A Shabby Hindi Film". Film Companion. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- M. M. Vetticad, Anna (25 October 2019). "Made In China movie review: Rajkummar Rao conjures up a certain whimsy, but in a half-done film". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 25 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- "Made In China Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- "Rajkummar Rao's film 'Shimla Mirch' goes straight to OTT". The Free Press Journal. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Ramnath, Nandini (3 January 2020). "'Shimla Mirchi' movie review: Hints of spice but mostly flat". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Abhishek Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao starrer Ludo to release on Netflix". The Indian Express. 16 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Janhvi Kapoor a sincere and hardworking actor: Rajkummar Rao on Rooh-Afza co-star". New Indian Express. 14 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- "Chhalaang: Rajkummar Rao, Nushrat Bharucha's film postponed by 3 months". Hindustan Times. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- "Badhaai Do: Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar replace Ayushmann-Sanya in Badhaai Ho sequel". India Today. 9 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.r
- Kumar, Karthik (15 July 2020). "Rajkummar Rao to star in the Hindi remake of Telugu thriller HIT". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- Mitter, Sohini (13 February 2014). "Rajkummar Rao: Defying Convention". Forbes India. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Rajkummar Rao and Alia Bhatt Crowned PETA's Hottest Vegetarians 2017". PETA India. 24 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- Chakraborty, Debiparna (23 December 2017). "Anushka, Priyanka, Shahid, Rajkummar Make It To The Forbes Celebrity 100 Cover". iDiva. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Ranveer Singh, Badshah, Rajkummar Rao at GQ's 50 Most Influential Young Indians of 2017". Firstpost. 8 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Rajkummar Rao named face of Actimaxx". Outlook. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Seventh Street introduces Rajkumar Rao as its Brand Ambassador". Deccan Chronicle. 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- Farheen, Fatima (14 July 2018). "Why Rajkummar Rao Is Telling People – 'Aaj Se Thoda Kam'". The Quint. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- "Rajkummar Rao donates to Covid-19 relief funds, fans praise him for not revealing the amount". Hindustan Times. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.