New Delhi: In a conversation on the podcast ‘Mauj Masti’ with Samdish Bhatia, acclaimed actor Rajkummar Rao opened up about one of the most challenging moments in his life—losing his mother while shooting for the critically acclaimed film ‘Newton’.
During the episode, Rao recounted the emotional turmoil he faced on set in Chhattisgarh when he received the devastating news about his mother’s health. “Humare jo booth ka kamra banya tha na humne, yaha par mai baitha hua tha table par,” he said, recalling the moment he was preparing for a shot. “Kuch shot deke mujhe asie nikalna tha, aur camera andar hi tha, aur maine dekha jo ground tha beech me yaha se koi bhout tez bhagta hua aa raha hai.”
Rao shared that his mother had been unwell and was only 54 years old at the time. He remembered the moment when he was informed about the situation. “He said… Raj sir, Patrelekha wants to talk to you… ek thought aaya mujhe, mujhe laga that my father passed away… because uske chehre pe dikh gaya tha ki kuch buri khabar hai,” he revealed.
Overcome with grief, Rao explained how he initially thought about the impact of his loss on the film’s production. “Of course, everything came crashing down… chote budget ki film hai mai chala jaunga, ye log sab chale jayenge,” he expressed. He ultimately decided to return home for a day to attend to his family, stating, “I said guys I’ll come back, give me a day, I need to go.”
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Upon his return, Rao felt the weight of his emotions. “Aur mai vapas aaya next day, after doing the rites and everything, mujhe laga ki mai kar lunga, mai strong hu, par nahi yaar, phat jati hai yaar,” he admitted, acknowledging that grief can be overwhelming.
Reflecting on his regrets, Rao shared, “I think mereko iss baat ka real guilt hai, regret hi hai guilt, ki yaar kaash mai apne parents ke saath aur time spend kar pata tha yaar.” He expressed a deep sense of longing, revealing how he wished he had taken his mother to Bombay, as she had always dreamed of meeting Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.
Despite his loss, Rao believes he can still feel his mother’s presence around him.
On the work front, Rajkummar Rao is riding high on the success of his latest family-comedy film, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, where he shares the screen with Triptii Dimri.