Team FC
Rao's recent roles show off his superb comic timing, but at the start of his career, the actor was known for his serious roles. Citylights, starring Rao and Patralekha (who is also Rao's wife), is a poignant rendering of a family from a small town trying to make it in the big city that is Mumbai.
The actor's performance complements the horrific brutality shown in the film. Rao said the process of preparing for the role left him "very disturbed" and that it was the toughest character he'd played till that point.
Rajkummar Rao, as journalist Deepu Sebastian and the only one who sees the humanity of the professor, manages to be equally memorable. Rao's boyish charm offers a contrast to the professor's reticent persona.
Rao plays the role with masterful comic timing, using his physicality to channel the character's quirky mannerisms of a Mithun Da fan. Rao's cheekiness, previously seen in Stree (2018), is on full-throttle here.
Rao's deft switches between a stereotypical sexist husband, a tough cop and a tired man craving acceptance are a masterclass on realism in acting.