6 minutes agoAuthor: Ashish Tiwari/Arunima Shukla
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Raj Arjun has worked in Akshay Kumar's film Rowdy Rathore. He had a small role in the film.
'My name is Raj Arjun. You must have seen me in films like Rowdy Rathore, Secret Superstar, Dear Comrade. People think that since I have worked in such big projects, my life must have been very easy, but I have struggled a lot to reach here.
I belong to a business family, but when I came to Mumbai to make a name in the film world, I had to spend the night on the railway platform. Actually, I used to stay in a PG in Mumbai. One day I went to actor Kumud Mishra's house. It was very late by the time I returned from there. Entry was not allowed in the PG late at night. There was no arrangement to stay anywhere else, so I was forced to sleep on the railway platform.
However, sleeping there was not easy either. People sleeping there told us to take off our clothes and sleep, else the police would think they were criminals and take them away.
I have seen such days when I used to beg people to give me work. I have endured so much in life that my heart shivers when I remember the old moments.
Actor Raj Arjun is telling his success story in the office of Dainik Bhaskar in Mumbai. He says, 'I was born in Bhopal. My father used to run the crockery business. My mother and her heartfelt desire was that all three of us brothers should also move forward in the same field. Both my brothers fulfilled her dream, but I chose my own path.'
On hearing this, I immediately asked, what did this boy from a business family see that made him decide to become an actor?
Raj laughs and says, 'I used to study in Saifia College in Bhopal. One day I went to see a play in Bharat Bhavan. After seeing that play, I thought that I also want to do something similar.
Then somehow I started doing drama in Bharat Bhavan. After this, my relationship with drama never broke. I continued doing drama morning and evening for 10-12 years. While working in drama, I started getting work in Doordarshan shows.
This photo is from the time when Raj used to do theatre.
You come from a business background, you must not have had to struggle much in Mumbai?
Hey, it is not like that at all. You don't get work in films even if you are financially strong. I did not have any godfather in the industry. Like other strugglers, I too had to struggle.
Before films, I had to struggle to get work in the TV industry. I used to go to big production houses with my photographs, but I was disappointed. However, after some time my hard work paid off and I started getting episodic work in TV shows.
After a while, I had a lot of work. I used to easily earn 60-65 thousand rupees a month, but after a while I got bored of working in the TV industry. Then I decided to try my luck in films.
Didn't the struggle in the film world break your spirit?
This happened many times, but how could I turn away from acting. It was my decision, so the struggles were mine. I did not know anything about the culture of films. Due to this I had to struggle even more.
Initially, I used to get roles of only one or two scenes in films. I did only one scene in the 2002 film 'Company'. I was paid only two thousand rupees for this. I was tired of doing this kind of work for a long time. I had come here thinking that my name would be counted among the top actors of the industry, but my identity was suppressed somewhere. Finally, I took a break and started working on myself again.
Then with which film did you make a comeback?
Director Ram Gopal Varma liked my shooting scene in the film Company. In return for that one scene, he offered me the lead role in the film Shabri. I finished shooting for this film in 2005. I thought that times were about to change, but fate had something else in store. It took 6 years for this film to release.
How did you deal with this bad phase?
The time from 2005 to 2011 was the worst phase of my life. I had lost confidence. I felt that I could not do anything better. I had absolutely no work. I was dying to work. Imagine the situation had become such that I was ready to work even for free.
One day I went to a friend crying and said- please get me some work in TV. She got scared seeing my condition because my whole body was trembling. She said- have you come drunk? I said it is not like that. I just want work. I am desperate for work. My friend felt pity for me and got me work in a TV show 'Banegi Apni Baat'. However, later the channel removed my portion.
I had also worked in Anurag Kashyap's film Black Friday. That's why I knew Anurag. When I had no work, I had requested Anurag for work many times. After some time, I felt that he had also started ignoring me. Then I stopped asking for work from him too.
To tell you the truth, I was feeling sorry for my condition. I used to cry and think that even after doing such a big film, I am still wandering from door to door in search of work.
Seeing your condition, did your wife never ask any questions?
She was the only one who trusted me more than I trusted myself. When I was not getting work, my family was pressuring me to join the business, but she would say that I will get both work and awards. Whenever I felt very sad, I would cry on her shoulders. My wife is very lucky for me, after she came, everything in my life became better.
Secondly, my daughter Sara Arjun also supported me a lot in every bad time. Sara is also active in acting. She has worked in films of Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai.
You have also worked in Akshay Kumar's film Rowdy Rathore. How lucky was this film for you?
The most interesting thing is that today most people know me because of the role of Rowdy Rathore. I am surprised because I have very few scenes in the film. I got this film because of my look. Actually, when the offer for this film came, I was going through the worst time of my life. I had grown a beard and had become very fat. The makers needed a similar look, so they cast me.
Raj also worked with Rashmika Mandanna in the film Dear Comrade. Vijay Deverakonda was also in this film.
Did the film Secret Superstar give you the recognition you deserved?
Yes, this film gave me real recognition. Through this, I regained my lost confidence and self-respect. The story of getting work in this film is also interesting. Actually, one day I went to casting director Mukesh Chhabra's office with my daughter. My daughter's audition was going on inside and I was sitting outside. Then Mukesh came and said – Hey, where were you all these days, you never came.
What could I tell him that I am tired of asking for work. I thought it better to laugh and avoid the topic. Then he told me that casting is going on for Aamir Khan's film Secret Superstar and there is a role of my type too.
The next day I auditioned for that role, which Aamir sir liked very much, but for a long time there was no feedback on it. When I asked Mukesh about this, he said- I am no longer a part of its casting team. You are also not a part of it. Its casting has gone to Abhishek-Anmol.
Hearing this, I got another shock. Only a few days had passed when I got a call from Abhishek-Anmol's office for another audition. I went for the audition, but could not perform well. I was sure that I would not be able to become a part of this film, but a miracle happened and Aamir sir cast me on the basis of the first audition. Finally, after 18 years, I got the film for which I had come to this city.
Have you reached the stage of success you wanted to reach?
After the release of Secret Superstar, a storm came. Many people started approaching me. Then I started getting work offers from the South Industry as well. I have worked in Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's film Dear Comrade. I also appeared in Kangana's film Thalaivi in 2021. Recently my film Yudhra has been released. People are giving it a lot of love too.
Today I can say that I have reached the stage of success at which I wanted to see myself. Now I do not recommend people for work at all. I do not even show people my achievements, so that they do not feel that I am indirectly asking for work. Now my only wish is that my work should be noticed, so that I keep getting work and I always remain busy.