Rajkummar Rao says he plays small-town guy with marriage issues so often because of a 'shraap' | Interview

Rajkummar Rao opens up on the internet's favourite question - why does he play a small-town guy trying to get married so often on the big screen.

If you have been on the internet lately, chances are you have come across a Rajkummar Rao trying to get married meme. The National Award-winning actor has done some diverse work over the course of his career, but Reddit is convinced that over the last few years, he has been doing just one role—a small-town guy with marriage issues.

Rajkummar Rao in Bhool Chuk Maaf, a time loop film with a marriage twist.

There may be some substance to this. In Stree, his character is famously trying to settle down. In Mr & Mrs Mahi, he is a failed cricketer using his wife's cricketing talent to live his dream. In Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, he and Triptii Dimri are newlyweds traumatised by the theft of their intimate video, and in Bhool Chuk Maaf, he is a man stuck in a time loop - on the eve of his wedding. All these films are set in tier-2 towns. In an exclusive chat with HT, Rajkummar addresses all these 'similar' roles coming his way so frequently.

Rajkummar Rao on his marriage-themed films

"It just happened. Nothing is conscious," says the actor with a laugh. Rajkummar adds that his tryst with weddings on screen is nothing new. He explains, "It's not just now. I think I have some connection with weddings because it started with Queen, where the wedding was such an important part of the plot."

His co-star in Maalik, Manushi Chhillar, reminds him that in Queen, it was his character who called off the wedding. Rajkummar jokes, "I think ussi ka shraap laga hai ki shaadi me hi kuch bhasad ho jaati hai. Ya to haldi me atak jaata hai, ya koi video bana leta hai. (I think it is that curse that is haunting my character that there is always some chaos at the wedding. He is either stuck in haldi, or someone makes a video)."

When we suggest he might want to do something to clear the 'shraap', Rajkummar jokes that his Queen character 'needs redemption'.

Rajkummar will be next seen in a completely different avatar - as a ruthless gangster in the action drama Maalik. The film, which also stars Manushi Chhillar and Prosenjit Chatterjee, is directed by Pulkit, and hits the screens on July 11.