Rajkummar Rao recalls surviving on Parle G and Frooti in Mumbai: ‘I was left with only Rs 18 in my account’

Rajkummar Rao Pic/Instagram

Bollywood's versatile actor Rajkummar Rao, who is currently on a promotional spree for his upcoming film ‘Srikanth', got candid about his struggle days in Mumbai. In an interview, he recalled surviving on Parle G and Frooti as his lunch to save money. Rajkummar Rao made his acting debut in Dibakar Banerjee's ‘Love Sex aur Dhokha' in 2010. Over the years he has been credited with movies like ‘Stee', ‘Queen', ‘Aligarh', ‘Newton', and ‘Monica, O My Darling' to name a few.

Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia, Rajkummar shared, "The most difficult time was facing financial difficulty and getting no work. My mother supported me a lot and when I would run out of money, she would arrange it and send. I remember once I was left with only Rs 18 in my account and that too in a city like Mumbai. I used to spend very frugally. We three used to live in one flat and I used to skip lunch and have one Parle G and Frooti for lunch. My lunch would cost me Rs 4 at the time."

He also revealed how his FTII batchmates helped him amid the financial crisis. "The day I was left with only Rs 18, I was thinking what will I do? We have an FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) committee in Mumbai. A lot of our seniors and juniors live here. So, you can ring anybody and ask them what are they having for dinner and if you can come," said Rao.

Rajkummar Rao's 'Srikanth' is an inspiring story portraying the life of entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla, who founded Bollant Industries, employing unskilled and differently-abled individuals. Born visually impaired in 1992 near Hyderabad, his life story is inspiring. The film featuring Rajkummar Rao will honour his remarkable journey. Set to release on May 10, it also stars Jyotika, Alaya F, and Sharad Kelkar in the lead roles.

Besides that, Rao also has 'Mr and Mrs Mahi' with Janhvi Kapoor. Directed by Sharan Sharma, the film promises to be a captivating sports drama. Originally slated for an April release, the sports drama is now set to hit cinemas on May 31, 2024.

(With inputs from ANI)