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Meet actor whose 1st film got shelved, made debut with Alia Bhatt, worked with Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra; now rules OTT
Today, we delve into the inspiring journey of an actor whose debut film never saw the light of day, yet he refused to give up. Now, he stands as one of the loved stars in the entertainment industry.
From Anil Kapoor to Abhishek Bachchan, many actors have faced the setback of having their debut films shelved. However, such challenges didn't deter them from achieving great success in the entertainment industry. One such actor who persevered despite his first film being shelved has now risen to stardom, dominating OTT platforms with his highly acclaimed romantic comedy series.
The actor in question lost his father at the tender age of 11. Determined to fulfill his father's dream of seeing him become an actor, he moved to Mumbai. That actor is none other than Rohit Suresh Saraf.
Rohit Saraf lost his father when he was just 11 years old. He completed his early education at Saint Francis D'Assisi High School and later pursued graduation at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Rohit moved to Mumbai to pursue his career after starting as a model.
In an old interview, he shared that he began modeling at 15 and landed a role in a television show for Channel V. Soon after, he secured his first feature film as the lead in Banana, produced by John Abraham.
Despite going through multiple rounds of auditions and dedicating three months to the project, the film was never released.
In an interview with DNA, Rohit Saraf shared his experience of dealing with setbacks early in his career. He revealed that after completing his first feature film, Banana, he was advised not to take up other work for two years to avoid overexposure and to position himself better when the film released.
Trusting this advice, he refrained from taking on new projects during that period. However, the film never saw the light of day, leaving him in a difficult position.
Rohit further explained that during his initial days in Mumbai, he worked hard to build relationships with casting directors by attending every audition and showing respect.
But after two years of declining offers, the calls for auditions stopped. When he learned that Banana was shelved, he had to rebuild his network from scratch. He reached out to the casting directors again, but many responded with sarcastic comments, questioning him about the fate of his film.
Instead of returning home, Rohit Saraf decided to start afresh and eventually landed his first film, Dear Zindagi, alongside Alia Bhatt. He played the role of Alia's brother in the film, marking the beginning of his journey in Bollywood.
Following this, there was no turning back. Rohit went on to feature in Yash Raj Films' comedy-drama Hichki with Rani Mukerji and later appeared in The Sky Is Pink, starring Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar. However, his real breakthrough came with his work on OTT platforms.
Rohit gained widespread recognition after appearing in Anurag Basu's Ludo and the Netflix series Mismatched. The romantic drama Mismatched catapulted him to fame, earning him the title of "national crush" and a growing fanbase, particularly among young women.
He further impressed audiences as Hrithik Roshan's brother in Vikram Vedha and recently made his debut as a lead actor in Ishq Vishk Rebound.
In an interview with India Today, Rohit Saraf expressed his mixed feelings about being called the "National Crush." He admitted that while there is still some awkwardness and moments where he feels overwhelmed, a part of him feels genuinely flattered and has secretly started enjoying the attention.
The latest season of his rom-com Mismatched is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
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