Rajkummar Rao Reveals Being 'Replaced' from 'Couple of Films': 'They'd Question How I Could Be Lead'

Rajkummar Rao, who is currently gearing up for the release of ‘Srikanth’, got candid about his journey in Bollywood and said that he was “replaced” from “a couple of films” in his initial days because many people felt that he didn’t look like a typical Hindi film hero.

Rajkummar has established himself as one of the most sought-after actors in Bollywood without any connection in the industry. However, it’s not been a cakewalk for him to reach the position he is in today.

He shared with India Today, “Initially I was replaced from a couple of films, because some other big actors wanted to do it. I was like, ‘Wow, this also happens here,’” said the actor, who grew up in Gurgaon and then studied at Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

He continued, “Apart from being replaced, a lot of people would often see me in a certain way. Because I came from a small town, they looked at me in a certain way. They would even question how I could be a lead actor in a film.”

However, Rajkummar Rao said that there was also a nice side to the industry. He shared with a smile, “But there were also people who would say, ‘Oh you come from a small town, you are an outsider, but we will make you a lead actor’.”

Of late, Rajkummar has been grabbing headlines for allegedly getting a plastic surgery done. While he refuted the claims of going under the knife, he said that the pressure to look good is as high on male actors as it’s on female actors.

Rajkummar sparked plastic surgery rumours after his photos from a recent event left social media divided, with many pointing out his “long pointed chin”. Rajkummar had posed for shutterbugs at a concert in Mumbai and many on social media commented how he looked “different”.

“First time when it started, I looked at that picture and I felt this is weird,” Rajkummar told Film Companion. “People are seeing me now… I don’t look like the guy in that picture I was like, ‘has someone done something to this image?’ It’s too clean to be believable. But then noise started and it spread like wildfire. And I was like, ‘wow, what’s happening?’ People told me, ‘It’s good… you’re a part of meme culture. It means you’re famous. Don’t worry about it.’ Also, I know my truth. I know I haven’t done it,” the actor added.