Rajkummar Rao on Being Called a ‘Brand’: ‘For Me, I’m Always Going to Be an Actor’

Rajkummar Rao has never been someone to define himself through labels, and the actor made that clear during his appearance at FICCI Frames 2026 in Mumbai. In a conversation moderated by film critic Anupama Chopra, Rao was asked whether, after more than a decade in the industry, he considers himself a brand. His answer was refreshingly straightforward: for him, acting has always come before the business of being a “star”, “superstar” or “brand”. The actor reflected on his journey since entering the film industry and explained why he continues to approach every script primarily as an actor.

Rajkummar said, “No, I don’t. I don’t think like that. You have known me since 2010, and it’s been 16 years. I have never seen myself as a brand. Growing up, when I started doing theatre and thought of becoming a film actor one day, I always thought my dream was to be a film actor. I never thought my dream was to be a brand. So, I don’t think anybody thinks like that. I think these are the terms that people give you, or your companions and colleagues give you. But for me, my love for my art will always be first.”

The actor further explained that once he takes on a character, he prefers to completely immerse himself in the work instead of worrying about whether a particular project fits an image or perceived brand value. Rajkummar added, “Apart from that, whatever terms you want to give—star, superstar, brand—that is something which does not concern me. Because when I go on set, when I take a script in my hand and I start working on that script, that’s the most powerful and the purest form of perceiving my art. It is when I start working on a character, and I don’t want to deviate from there and think, ‘Is this story going to match my brand value?’ No, I don’t think like that.”

He concluded his thoughts on the subject by making it clear that he is happy to let audiences and the industry decide what they want to call him. “So for me, I’m always going to be an actor. And as I said, people want to call you whatever they want, they can call you whatever they want,” Rajkummar said. The statement reflects an approach that has remained central to his career, with the actor frequently moving between different genres and characters rather than restricting himself to one particular screen image.

Rao was also asked about another label that has increasingly become associated with his career—that of being a go-to actor for biopics. The actor admitted that the trend was not something he deliberately planned. “Well, yeah, it just happened. I think it’s just a mere coincidence. But I’m glad because I think biopics are a very difficult genre, and it takes a lot of guts and courage for everybody involved to make a biopic. But I’m happy that people think of me when they think of a biopic, and I’ve been offered a lot of them apart from what I’ve done,” he said.

The conversation took place during the 26th edition of FICCI Frames, held on September 29 and 30 at Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt, with JioStar as the convention partner. Rao’s comments offered an interesting glimpse into the mindset behind an actor who has spent 16 years building a diverse body of work while resisting the pressure to define himself through a single label. Whether the industry calls him a star, superstar, brand or the go-to man for biopics, Rajkummar Rao’s own description remains much simpler—an actor who wants the work to come first.