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Rapper Raja Kumari wants to foray into acting now
The Indian-American rap artiste says that Gully Boy (2019) has caused the rap scene to boom in India; lauds Gen-Z artistes Humankind, Yashraj Mukhate and Dhruv Rajpal
Rap artiste Raja Kumari has put India on the global map with her first single Mute in 2016. After belting out hip hop tracks like City Slums and I’m A Rebel and film songs The Wakhra Song (Judgementall Hai Kya; 2019) and Husn Parcham (Zero; 2018), the Indian-American rapper now plans on making a mark as an actor.
Talking about how it’s her love for storytelling that has pushed to explore the world of acting, she tells us, “I’m open to a new challenge, now more than ever. I’m a student of art and have also learnt classical dance. I know the navarasas and the art of abhinaya. I want to get into acting and see how I can bring more stories to life. Getting the right role would be a great opportunity for me.”
Kumari was recently was in Mumbai for a live gig, her first in India amid the on-going pandemic. “Mumbai is my favourite city. The Indian audience is open to rap music even as far as live gigs are concerned. They connect to our set because we tell them their stories.”
The 35-year-old musician says that she’s rather excited about the rap scene in India and the way it has boomed over the past five years due to the influx of “Gen Z talents”: “After Gully Boy (2019), so many more artistes have come up, who are rapping in their regional languages and making music about their life experiences. I just met Hanumankind. love his voice. I get excited hearing new artistes like Yashraj (Mukhate) and Dhruv (Rajpal) are amazing.”
Kumari adds, “It’s exciting to share Indian rap with people outside and show them that this is us speaking for ourselves. There are a lot of different sounds now. Going forward, I would love to see different types of music get a chance.”
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