Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, and Radhika Apte talk about challenging stereotypes in Bollywood

If you’ve followed the careers of Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi and Radhika Apte, you’ll realise here’s a talented trio that has come a long way by taking the road less-travelled. It’s been a journey filled with highs and lows as their unconventional choices have been the subject of criticism and, at the same time, taken them to the pinnacle of success. What certainly hasn’t changed, as they take one giant step after another, is their choice of career-defining roles that break the mould, and the Bollywood stereotype. This terrific trinity, who will be seen in the upcoming film Monica, O My Darling (releases on Netflix on November 11) spoke about 'Breaking Bollywood Stereotypes' on the first day of the India Today Conclave 2022 held in Mumbai. 

Rao is a chameleon when it comes to the roles that he’s portrayed. He’s shaved his hair for Bose: Dead/Alive, oiled his hair a certain way in Newton, and undergone weight change for countless roles. Here is a man who absolutely loves doing what others don’t. “I like challenging myself. Love Sex Aur Dhokha, my first film, was such a big risk. I don’t like things that are too simple. Give me something new and I will do it. You get bored doing the same thing again and again.”  

As far as Qureshi and Apte go, the pair has led from the front in doing the unconventional on the OTT space. “Radhika and I were the first women to be headlining our movies and web series. People, in fact, told us ‘Don’t do OTT, you’re doing it because you don’t have a film.’ But the reach on the platform is immense. It’s empowered me to make braver choices. My film Double XL is about body positivity. I wouldn’t have been able to do such a film a few years ago. I want to push the envelope and do things that appeal to you. Not cookie clutter stuff,” said Qureshi, who was speaking on the same day as the film’s release.   

When it comes to Netflix, it is impossible to not think about Apte. She’s been a name synonymous with the Indian OTT space right from day one. “Streaming services and the content on it have brought the world closer. The best part about such offerings is that each and every project gets an equal opportunity to make their mark. This doesn’t happen in a theatrical release. Plus, the diversity among people and their stories has helped us grow. And let’s not forget how much employment has been generated for people who hadn’t been able to get their shining moment.”

For Qureshi, the best way to silence critics is doing the impossible. “I know that I am not the conventional choice for a femme fatale. What I’ve seen, as a woman, is that any role comes with a lot of pre-conceived notions and judgement. We’ve managed to change that over the years. Just because we look a certain way, we shouldn’t be cast as misfits. I feel there is a greater degree of receptiveness and acceptance these days. The OTT space made this more apparent. The same is true for my character Monica in Monica, O My Darling. If you give people engaging content, they will pay to watch it. Our fans thank us for making a film that is unconventional, or one that pushes the boundaries of filmmaking as well as our creativity in front of the camera. The best part about such films is that they’ve played an instrumental role in raising the content watching IQ. This is exactly why we should give better content.” 

These artists definitely know what works best for them. And that’s good news for us as we’ll get to see more clutter-breaking content. “I’ll always choose projects that are close to my heart and at the same push me to do better. I don’t think about box office success. Even today, at the Conclave, there were so many people who spoke to me about Shahid, Trapped, and Newton. That’s the stuff that I want to be proud of,” says Rao who lets the audience know what it is about him that makes him stand out from the crowd. “I used to go for auditions at the start of my career and these were never for the lead. My life changed after my first film. I am not the tallest, or the most good-looking person in the room. But I am the most hard-working. My love for cinema keeps me going. I can never take this lightly.” 

For Qureshi, being different, very much like Rao and Apte, is all about being special. “I stopped caring about what other people say. I want to put my craft in front of the world. You get so bogged down by what other people have to say. There was a time when I didn’t back myself. Then I asked myself what is it that I want to do. It made me braver as I realised that I must listen to my inner voice. It may not be the right choice, but, at least, I will have fun.”

With stars such as them, we certainly are in for a fun-tastic time. One that’s different, intriguing and poles apart from the typical Bollywood stereotype.