Model-turned-actor Arjun Rampal gave 13 flops in a row before Shah Rukh Khan revived his career with Don (2006).
Back in 2000, supermodels were often considered by filmmakers for leading actors. However, not every model was able to make it big in films. Arjun Rampal is one such example. Arjun has been in Bollywood for 23 years, but he was unhappy with his initial career. In a recent interview, Arjun Rampal revealed that despite co-starring Manisha Koirala, he hated watching himself in Moksha.
In an interview with Pop Diaries, Arjun Rampal said, "I was a very successful model, and Ashok Mehta came to me with this film Moksha, where I was paired opposite this fantastic actor, Manisha Koirala. She was at her peak at that time… I was shooting a scene with her in the Chambal Valley, the rushes came and I saw myself and I hated myself. I thought, ‘My God, you’re horrible’. So, I decided I was not going to model anymore. I didn’t know that the film would take six years to get made," he said.
Arjun Rampal's journey of supermodel
Born on 26 November 1972 in Jabalpur, Arjun Rampal went to Delhi to complete his education. At a party in Delhi, Fashion Designer Rohit Bal spotted Arjun Rampal and signed him as a male model for his shows. In 1994, Arjun was declared the title of Society's Face Of The Year, and soon after went on to become an Indian supermodel.
Supermodel Arjun turned actor, but he still had no source of income and was unable to pay rent
After becoming a supermodel, director Rajiv Rai spotted and signed him for a music video, and then for his film, Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat. Arjun's debut film tanked at the box office, but he managed to sign a few other projects. During the making of Moksha, Arjun had no other source of income, and he was unable to pay rent. In his early days, Arjun used to stay in Andheri West, Mumbai, but he had no money to pay rent. Adding more about it the actor said, "I had no source of income in that period of time. I was living in Seven Bungalows (in Andheri, Mumbai) at that time, I had a wonderful landlord, Sardarji. He’d come on the first of every month, and he’d look at me and I’d look at him. He’d say, ‘Nahi hai (You don’t have the money, do you)?’ And I’d shake my head. He’d say, ‘Koi nahi, tu de dega (Never mind, I’m sure you’ll pay me).’ He was the sweetest man; you need those kinds of breaks in your life."
Arjun's back-to-back failures
In his initial career, Arjun was unable to crack a clean hit. After Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat, Arjun was seen in box office disasters Moksha, and Deewaanapan. In 2002, Arjun got his first hit, Aankhen, but it wasn't his solo hit. Arjun's struggle for success continued with commercial failures such as Dil Hai Tumhaara, Dil Ka Rishta, Tehzeeb, Asambhav, Vaada, Elaan, Yakeen, Ek Ajnabee, Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai, Darna Zaroori Hai.
Shah Rukh Khan's film that revived Arjun's career
It was Shah Rukh Khan's Don (2006) that actually revived Arjun's career. Even though Arjun had a supporting role of Jasjit, he impressed critics and the masses with his performance. In 2007, SRK teamed up with Arjun for Om Shanti Om, and the latter benefited by playing the negative role in Farah Khan's blockbuster. In 2008, Arjun's performance in Rock On made him win his first National Award for Best Supporting Actor. On the work front, Arjun was last seen in Vidyut Jammwal's Crack.
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