The actor is being hailed for his brilliant turn as slain human rights lawyer in Hansal Mehta's Shahid.
Dubai:
Beginning his showbiz journey withDibakar Banerjee's digital film Love, Sex Aur Dhoka,Rajkumar Yadav has come a long way.
The actor is being hailed for his brilliant turn as slainhuman rights lawyer in Hansal Mehta's Shahid. He has baggedMira Nair's short film and is starring in a rom-com Queenwith Kangna Ranaut. His upcoming film Kai Po Che is readyfor release.
Yadav, who is at the Dubai International Film Festival topresent Shahid, says it has been a career defining role forhim.
"It is a very important film for my career. I had justfinished LSD and was doing Wasseypur when my castingdirector Mukesh Chhabra and Anurag Kashyap suggested by nameto Hansal Mehta for Shahid. He had met with some stars forthe film but he told me that the moment he looked at me, hethought he had found his Shahid," Yadav told PTI.
The actor says getting into the skin of Shahid was noteasy because there is not much available on the slain lawyer.
"It was as difficult as any character. For Shahid Azmithere is no real video available on the net. There are onlytwo pictures. We wove the story around with a lot ofimagination.
"I spent time with his family and his brothers. They werevery supportive. His brother has seen the film and is veryproud of it and thinks that it is 95 per cent of how Shahidlived his life," says Yadav.
Mehta, who is returning to filmmaking after a break withthis film has clearly made a strong impression on Yadav.
"He was amazing to work with. I have told him that I amgoing to work in all his films. He cannot work with anyoneelse. I am doing his next film now."
Talking about his upcoming release Kai Po Che, which isbased on Chetan Bhagat's novel 'Three Mistakes of My Life',Yadav says he enjoyed playing a Gujarati boy.
"I liked the novel and I am playing the role of Govind inthe film. He is the guy who makes the three mistakes. The filmis releasing on February 22.
"Then I am working with Kangna for a Delhi set rom-comcalled 'Queen'. It is a very real love story," he says.
The actor has just finished working on Nair's short filmwith Richa Chaddha of Gangs of Wasseypur fame."It is a series of short films combined together. Nair isa superb director. The common theme of the films is religion.The title of Mira's film is God Room, it is set in Mumbaiduring the Ganpati pooja."
Yadav's journey to showbiz has been an unusual one.Instead of making his debut with a romantic film, the actorstarred in a bold film like Love, Sex Aur Dhoka.
Recalling how he got the offer, Yadav says, "I came toMumbai in 2008 and was looking for an opportunity like so manyothers. I heard that Dibakar was making a small budget filmand was looking for newcomers. I met him and gave an audition.He told me to lose weight because I had built up a body bythen, having no idea how things worked in showbiz. I was onafter that."
Yadav says acting was something that he wanted to dosince his childhood."I think it was something that I was meant to do. I wasan average student and took part in theatres since a veryearly age. I did theatre in Delhi for three years beforemoving to Mumbai. I am happy with the way my career has shapedup, it has helped me nurture my acting."
The actor has started getting offers that come with "lotof money but with bad scripts" but he says he wants to avoidbeing part of such movies.
"I have to balance and plan my career. It is not all thatdifficult to say no. I first look for the story, my characterand then director and producer. Your choices make your careerso I have to be very careful," he says.
The actor is being hailed for his brilliant turn as slainhuman rights lawyer in Hansal Mehta's Shahid. He has baggedMira Nair's short film and is starring in a rom-com Queenwith Kangna Ranaut. His upcoming film Kai Po Che is readyfor release.
Yadav, who is at the Dubai International Film Festival topresent Shahid, says it has been a career defining role forhim.
"It is a very important film for my career. I had justfinished LSD and was doing Wasseypur when my castingdirector Mukesh Chhabra and Anurag Kashyap suggested by nameto Hansal Mehta for Shahid. He had met with some stars forthe film but he told me that the moment he looked at me, hethought he had found his Shahid," Yadav told PTI.
The actor says getting into the skin of Shahid was noteasy because there is not much available on the slain lawyer.
"It was as difficult as any character. For Shahid Azmithere is no real video available on the net. There are onlytwo pictures. We wove the story around with a lot ofimagination.
"I spent time with his family and his brothers. They werevery supportive. His brother has seen the film and is veryproud of it and thinks that it is 95 per cent of how Shahidlived his life," says Yadav.
Mehta, who is returning to filmmaking after a break withthis film has clearly made a strong impression on Yadav.
"He was amazing to work with. I have told him that I amgoing to work in all his films. He cannot work with anyoneelse. I am doing his next film now."
Talking about his upcoming release Kai Po Che, which isbased on Chetan Bhagat's novel 'Three Mistakes of My Life',Yadav says he enjoyed playing a Gujarati boy.
"I liked the novel and I am playing the role of Govind inthe film. He is the guy who makes the three mistakes. The filmis releasing on February 22.
"Then I am working with Kangna for a Delhi set rom-comcalled 'Queen'. It is a very real love story," he says.
The actor has just finished working on Nair's short filmwith Richa Chaddha of Gangs of Wasseypur fame."It is a series of short films combined together. Nair isa superb director. The common theme of the films is religion.The title of Mira's film is God Room, it is set in Mumbaiduring the Ganpati pooja."
Yadav's journey to showbiz has been an unusual one.Instead of making his debut with a romantic film, the actorstarred in a bold film like Love, Sex Aur Dhoka.
Recalling how he got the offer, Yadav says, "I came toMumbai in 2008 and was looking for an opportunity like so manyothers. I heard that Dibakar was making a small budget filmand was looking for newcomers. I met him and gave an audition.He told me to lose weight because I had built up a body bythen, having no idea how things worked in showbiz. I was onafter that."
Yadav says acting was something that he wanted to dosince his childhood."I think it was something that I was meant to do. I wasan average student and took part in theatres since a veryearly age. I did theatre in Delhi for three years beforemoving to Mumbai. I am happy with the way my career has shapedup, it has helped me nurture my acting."
The actor has started getting offers that come with "lotof money but with bad scripts" but he says he wants to avoidbeing part of such movies.
"I have to balance and plan my career. It is not all thatdifficult to say no. I first look for the story, my characterand then director and producer. Your choices make your careerso I have to be very careful," he says.
