EXCLUSIVE: Rajkummar Rao on Stree's success: One doesn't know what happens on a Friday; that's the beauty

Rajkummar Rao has time and again proved his acting prowess. Give him any role, the man will perform it with the required dedication and conviction. From Love Sex Aur Dhoka to Omerta, he has done all kinds of films and unconventional roles. Every character he has played on screen till now have been remarkable, distinctive and quite challenging. There's a reason why people call him a method actor. Raj's love for acting and movies is known to all and his seriousness towards his work can be seen in the choices he makes.

His recent release Stree has successfully managed to win the critics as well as the audiences' hearts. Stree, a horror comedy also stars Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Apartshakti Khurrana and Abhishek  Banerjee. It has just been five days and this Amar Kaushik directorial is inching towards 50 crore mark at the box office. In Stree, Rajkummar is seen as a tailor named Vicky in the town of Chanderi. Vicky thinks the purpose of his life is bigger than just being a simple tailor in the town. Rajkummar has brilliantly acted as Vicky and even after the film gets over, the character stays with you. 

With such back-to-back films and projects, Rajkummar surely has a busy work-life. But well, it's always a delight to interview him. So, sparing some time out of his busy day, after a long wait, we finally got a chance to interact with Rajkummar Rao. Rajkummar told Pinkvilla why he decided to do a horror-comedy like Stree and how he feels to receive so much love and appreciation from the critics and the audience yet again.

Read the interview below:

You did a horror film called Ragini MMS. Stree also has horror in it. So what was the reason you decided to take up a film with a horror element again?

It's more of a horror comedy honestly. Not purely a horror. I found the idea very unique. I really liked Raj and DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.) as writers and directors. Their writing has so much quirk, it's very unconventional. When I read the script, I was blown away. I was like what an idea! I was very excited about the story and that's the reason I wanted to explore this. And it's a very unique genre and not many people have tried it. The day I read it, I decided I want to do it.

The kind of response Stree is getting from the critics and the audience, did you expect the film will be loved so much? 

I expected to be a part of the good film. But you know that's the fun part of being in this industry, one doesn't know what happens on a Friday. I was very sure that we are making a good film. I knew that people would like it, there will be a strong word of mouth but the way people are reacting, it's huge, it is overwhelming.

You have been sharing audiences' reaction from the theatres on your Instagram stories. How did it felt when you were watching it live how the audience was going crazy at the funny scenes?

Oh man, that's the best feeling. That's something else. I can't describe in words the way people were cheering it (I felt) like I am in a stadium watching a cricket match. You much have seen in the video the way people are reacting, hooting, they are whistling, clapping, they are going crazy about the dialogues in the film. It is amazing; we make all the films for the audience. When they react in this way, nothing feels happier than that. 

Have you personally experienced any paranormal activity in your life?

No no, never. I  have never experienced any physical form of those (paranormal activities). Nobody has called my name from behind. But as kids, you know you used to have those horror nights where people would talk about their ghost stories or people would make up stories. So those nights were disturbing. The whole night we would feel like 'Oh my god, I think somebody is outside the room'. Apart from that no!

Horror-comedy isn't a genre that's much explored in Bollywood. Did you have any apprehensions while taking a risk of doing a film like Stree?

Not at all. I have always taken risks. I like doing films which are different.

Now that Stree is a hit, what's going on in your mind?

Well, I am elated. I am very, very happy that so many people are watching it. Vicky has become this lovable character. And the kind of response the last scene has got, people are going crazy.