As a star, what can one do apart from earn a packet? Embracing progressive cinema could be a start, especially in an industry so devoid of such issues. So, it is good to have actors such as Rajkummar Rao who think beyond their own roles and look at the big picture. His last few films have done that as well, whether it is Badhaai Do (2022) where he played a gay man, or Bheed (2023) where he took on the caste system. This year alone, he starred in Srikanth where he showed the ability of the disabled and Mr and Mrs Mahi where he chased his passion, even if second hand. In Stree 2, he reprises his role as Vicky, the ladies' tailor, who has to save the women of Chanderi from being held captive because of a new monster called Sarkata. The headless monster preys on women with autonomy, whether it is in their views, their academics, their love lives or their social media profiles. "I believe in cinema for entertainment but also for social commentary. But it has to be done skillfully without giving direct gyaan [knowledge] to the audience, or sounding preachy," says Rao. "I look for the hidden treasures my writer has in the script," he adds. In Stree 2, the message is very clear: in a society divided by hatred, it is love alone that can save us. Men and women have to join together to do that. "Whenever I get a chance, I try to endorse such films and get them out to a wider audience," he says. He works hard but makes sure he takes at least two weeks off between movie shoots to go on holidays. Otherwise, he and his wife Patralekha live a quiet life with their three Yorkshire Terriers, watching a movie a day. Sometimes they have red carpet events, says Rao. "It is an effort but sometimes it is unavoidable. Stylists give us beautiful clothes and we wear them," he says simply. Rao says he has got a lot of feedback for Stree 2's box-office success—it has made `400 crore and counting on day 12. "It feels good. I think people see me as one of them because I came to Mumbai with nothing and did not grow up with money. Many actor friends told me it feels like a personal victory for them," he says. The big screen is transparent. "People can see through fakery," says Rao.

Shammi Kapoor

Rajkummar Rao: Star Power

Scenes by the Seine