After giving 14 flops in six years, this actor starred in the year's biggest blockbuster, and followed it up with a National Award.
If you have over a dozen flops as lead actor early on in your career, chances are that your next film will be difficult to come by. Filmdom is so competitive that failure is not taken very lightly. Yet, this one actor evaded that axe. Call it a mixture of luck, perseverance, and skill, but not only did he get his next film but that proved to be a blockbuster, paving the way for future success.
The actor who began Bollywood journey with 14 flops
Arjun Rampal transitioned from the world of modelling to films with the 2001 release Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat. However, the film was a letdown at the box office. Arjun still got noticed and signed several films in the next few years. However, barring Aankhen – which was an average grosser – all his films till 2006 flops. These included Deewanapan, Moksha, Dil Hai Tumhara, Dil Ka Rishta, Tehzeeb Asambhav, Vaada, Elaan, and Ek Ajnabee, among others. Safe to say, Arjun wasn’t a bankable name in the Bollywood circles in mid-2000s.
How a superstar revived Arjun’s career
The transformation in Arjun Rampal’s career happened after his supporting role in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Don. The film was the first clean hit of his career till then. But Shah Rukh then did more to help Arjun. In his next home production, the star cast Arjun as the villain. The film was Om Shanti Om, a blockbuster and the biggest hit of 2007. Arjun had well and truly arrived.
Arjun Rampal’s turn as serious actor
Due to his modelling background, Arjun was largely criticised for his acting skills and he himself said he wasn’t taken seriously by many makers. All this changed with the 2008 release Rock On!! Arjun won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his act as a musician with a mid-life crisis in the film. This paved the way for more big films like Housefull and Rajneeti as well as critically-acclaimed performances in films such as D Day.
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 "The actor who won a National Award in 2008")
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