Last Updated:July 10, 2025, 04:57 IST

Rajkummar Rao says there’s strong ‘brotherhood’ among him, Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khurrana. He also speaks about his next, Maalik, that sees him in a brand-new avatar.

Rajkummar Rao’s Maalik is all set to release in theatres on July 11.

Rajkummar Rao has never shied away from lauding his peers. Often, he takes to social media to cheer for his co-stars for a performance they’ve fared well in. At the same time, he hasn’t had any qualms about sharing screen space with his contemporaries such as Ayushmann Khurrana in Bareilly Ki Barfi and Dulquer Salmaan in Guns & Gulaabs. Now, speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, Rajkummar reveals that he shares a rather great bond with his peers – Ayushmann and Vicky Kaushal.

Interestingly, the trio shares similar non-film backgrounds and has managed to carve a niche for themselves through their own merit, redefining masculinity in modern-day mainstream cinema. “Ayushmann calls me and I call him at times randomly. We just go, ‘Long time. Kaisa hai, bhai? Aise hi soch rahe the ki call kar de.’ I believe these bonds are great. There should be camaraderie among contemporaries,” Rajkummar tells us. For the unversed, he’ll next be seen playing Sourav Ganguly in his biopic after reports suggested that Ayushmann withdrew from the film.

In fact, when Rajkummar watched Vicky’s Chhaava, he couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to him, completely enamoured with the latter’s rendition of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. “When I saw Chhaava, I messaged Vicky. He also messages me every time he likes a trailer or a film featuring me. We always greet each other very warmly if we bump into each other,” he says.

On the work front, Rajkummar is awaiting the release of Maalik, that will see him in a brand-new avatar. While he acknowledges that throngs of desi actioners are being made today, he’s confident that Maalik will stand out. “Yes, it’s massy and highly commercial with a lot of dialogue-baazi and action but it’s still very rooted in its texture. So, what you see onscreen will be believable. You would believe in these characters and the story. It’s not a fantasy or make-believe world where just about anything and everything is happening,” he explains.

The trailer of Maalik has been grabbing attention for its graphic portrayal of violence and sees Rajkummar portray a very different version of masculinity – one in the context of power games and ambition. Talking about it, he says, “I’m an aware audience and when I see a film, I can differentiate which films are larger-than-life and which ones are way more violent than the others. At the same time, I know it’s all for entertainment. As long as I’m entertained and they’re done well, I enjoy watching such films.”

The Bhool Chuk Maaf and Mr & Mrs Mahi actor further continues, “I’m a big fan of the action genre but there has to be a story in it. It can’t just be set pieces of action. A story can’t be woven around seven action sequences. It should be the other way around. I’m more interested in seeing the character’s arc and journey. Action can be for titillation but there still has to be a solid reason for the same.”

Titas Chowdhury

Titas Chowdhury is a Principal Correspondent at News18 Showsha. She writes about cinema, music and gender in cinema. Interviewing actors and filmmakers, writing about latest trends in showbiz and bringing break…Read More

Titas Chowdhury is a Principal Correspondent at News18 Showsha. She writes about cinema, music and gender in cinema. Interviewing actors and filmmakers, writing about latest trends in showbiz and bringing break… Read More

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