Rajkummar Rao discloses criticism from queer community over Badhaai Do casting before the film’s release: ‘Concerns raised about a heterosexual actor playing…’
Representation of queer characters in Hindi cinema has always been a topic of discussion, with many from the LGBTQIA+ community advocating for queer actors to be cast in such roles. This was evident when Rajkummar Rao portrayed a gay character in the 2022 film Badhaai Do. Initially facing criticism from some queer individuals due to being cisgender and heterosexual, Rao later received appreciation post-release.
In a recent interview with News18, Rajkummar recalled how there was initial backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community after the trailer of Badhaai Do was released. However, after watching the film, many of those same individuals reached out to him personally to express their happiness with his portrayal. Rao mentioned, “They could totally connect with it.”
The 39-year-old actor explained that people understood the film’s positive intentions post-release, recognizing that it was not meant to mock anyone. Directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni and produced by Junglee Pictures, Badhaai Do served as a spiritual sequel to the 2018 hit Badhaai Ho.
The film’s story centered around the concept of a lavender marriage and featured Bhumi Pednekar, Gulshan Devaiah, Chum Darang, Sheeba Chaddha, and Seema Pahwa in pivotal roles.
In the same interview, Rajkummar acknowledged his desire to explore diverse characters to avoid being typecast. He expressed his eagerness to take on various genres such as comedy, drama, biopics, horror-comedy, and action, stating, “I want to do everything. I challenge myself as an actor with different characters, and that’s what keeps me going.”
Rajkummar Rao is currently basking in the success of his recently released film Stree 2, a horror-comedy also starring Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurana. The movie is on the brink of entering the Rs 500 crore club after surpassing its budget and being declared an all-time blockbuster.
Up next, Rajkummar will be seen in Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video and Bhul Chuk Maaf.
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