Rajkummar Rao

Rajkummar Rao (born Raj Kumar Yadav; 31 August 1984) is an Indian actor. Active in Hindi cinema since the early 2010s, he is known for his versatility and performances in over thirty films across a wide spectrum of genres, spanning both independent and commercial projects. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards, and an Asia Pacific Screen Award. In 2017, he was featured on ''Forbes India''s Celebrity 100 list.

After training at the Film and Television Institute of India, Rao made his film debut in the anthology ''Love Sex Aur Dhokha'' (2010), followed by supporting roles in ''Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2'' and ''Talaash: The Answer Lies Within'' (both 2012). He achieved his breakthrough in 2013 with acclaimed performances in the dramas ''Kai Po Che!'' and ''Shahid''. His portrayal of lawyer Shahid Azmi in the latter earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor.

Rao gained further recognition with roles in ''Queen'' (2014), ''Aligarh'' (2015), and ''Bareilly Ki Barfi'' (2017), with the last winning him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He headlined independent films such as ''Trapped'' (2016) and ''Newton'' (2017), earning critical acclaim and international recognition, including the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor. His commercial breakthrough came with the comedy horror ''Stree'' (2018), followed by his first English-language role in ''The White Tiger'' (2021).

He continued to earn praise for starring roles in ''Ludo'' (2020), ''Monica, O My Darling'' (2022), ''Bheed'' (2023), and ''Srikanth'' (2024). He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for portraying a closeted gay man in ''Badhaai Do'' (2022). Despite subsequent commercial setbacks, Rao regained success with the sequel ''Stree 2'' (2024) and the fantasy film ''Bhool Chuk Maaf'' (2025). While the latter ranks as his highest-grossing release, he faced criticism for repeatedly taking on similar roles. Rao is married to actress Patralekha. Provided by Wikipedia