Currently, the actor is navigating another such phase as he shifts gears between two demanding biographical roles. While the visible changes have sparked conversation, those familiar with his process see it as a continuation of a long-standing pattern rather than something out of the ordinary.
A source close to Rajkummar Rao shares, “For Ujjwal Nikam’s biopic, Rajkummar deliberately gained around 10 kilos as he had to portray an older phase of the character. He also experimented with his hair to make the age and journey feel authentic. At the moment, he’s in a transition phase, losing the weight he gained for Nikam while simultaneously doing look tests for his next biopic on Sourav Ganguly. This phase is completely intentional and part of moving from one character to another.”
The source adds, “This isn’t new for him. Rajkummar has always pushed himself for his roles. Be it when he shaved his head for Bose or dropped around 7 kgs for his character in Trapped or for Srikanth where he refused to come out of the character on set even when cameras weren’t rolling. His focus is always on fully embodying the character he’s playing.”
For an actor who believes in disappearing into his roles, these shifts are less about appearance and more about intent. Each transformation is simply another step in the journey of telling a story honestly.
