'Saiyaara' actor Rajesh Kumar had only Rs 2,500 in his account; was in Rs 2 crore debt: 'I couldn't bring two chocolates for my kids'
, best known for his roles in popular shows like 'Sarabhai vs Sarabhai', Excuse Me Maadam, and 'Kota Factory', is finally back in the spotlight. Thanks to his supporting role in 'Saiyaara', the actor has found his place again in the film industry.
The romantic drama, directed by
Mohit Suri
and starring newcomers
Ahaan Panday
and
Aneet Padda
, turned out to be a massive box office hit. Released in July, 'Saiyaara' opened to good reviews and shocked everyone with its numbers. The film has already made over Rs 400 crore worldwide and is expected to cross Rs 500 crore soon.
While
Rajesh
is now enjoying success, has shared that he went through a very tough time not long ago, one that involved financial loss, emotional stress, and a strong comeback.
Left acting and turned to farming
In an interview with Meri Saheli, Rajesh revealed he once faced serious money problems. 'Bankruptcy, yes. The incoming and outgoing flow had gone for a toss. There was no incoming, and I had exhausted all my reserves because of the outgoing. I went under debt of Rs 2 crore,' he said.
He added, '(Bankruptcy) is a big word, but definitely, I had that feeling with me for a long time. I was not able to generate money for survival also.
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Undo
This was definitely a phase.'
Rajesh had decided to quit acting in 2019 and took up farming. But things didn't go as planned. He wanted to break the myth that farming is only for people with no better career choices. 'Nobody these days dreams of becoming a farmer when they grow up,' he said, explaining how he hoped to change people's views about farming.
Lockdown worsened the money crisis
Rajesh had barely started farming when things began to go wrong. First, weather conditions affected his crops, and then the pandemic made it even worse.
Speaking to Rajshri Unplugged, he said, 'Financially, I was on a slide. By the lockdown, I had used up my savings, and was literally bankrupt. I didn't have anything in my pocket. I had huge loans, and that was adding to the pressure.'The lack of income during that time meant Rajesh couldn't even manage basic survival, despite trying his best.
Just Rs 2,500 in the bank
Rajesh also shared a heartbreaking memory of when he worked on a film called 'Binny and Family'.
He had to travel to the UK for a 24-day shoot, but money was so tight that he couldn't afford to bring anything back for his children. In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, he said, 'I had just Rs 2,500 in my bank account when I was in the UK. I traveled back and forth twice during that 24-day shoot, but I couldn't bring back even two chocolates for my kids.
'
Family support kept him going
Throughout this difficult time, Rajesh said it was his family that stood by him and gave him the strength to keep going.
He admitted that he wasn't earning enough to even survive, and without his loved ones helping him out, he may not have made it through.
A much-needed comeback with 'Saiyaara'
Now that 'Saiyaara' has turned out to be a box office success, Rajesh finally feels like he's back where he belongs. The film has not only helped him return to the big screen but has also reminded fans of his talent. He plays Aneet Padda's father in the film.
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(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 31, 1988)He is not handsome by conventional standards. He is short, dark and can easily be ignored in a crowd. But for all that, he is the undisputed superstar of the South, a man whose name spells box-office magic, the Midas of the eight long years, Rajinikanth has occupied the number one slot in south Indian films. Now, 115 films and almost as many hits later, he has reached a stage where he can choose his roles and, more significantly, restrict himself to four Tamil films a year. The remaining time is spent in Bombay acting in Hindi the late M.G. Ramachandran could compete with that phenomenal box-office record. But Rajinikanth is also the hero from the South—which has traditionally produced leading ladies for the Hindi screen—who has survived in the competitive world of Bombay films. 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In any event, by 1990, he plans to take a break from Tamil films and start directing his own even his most ardent fans believe that Rajinikanth's real talent lies in Tamil films which have made him what he is today. He is the only Tamil hero whose films are sold even before shooting starts. He is reported to get Rs 25 lakh per film, the highest paid to any hero in the Manithan (human being) released last Diwali is a box-office success, while his latest Guru Shishiya (master-pupil) is drawing packed houses. Says G. Venkateswarao, producer, distributor and president of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce: "He is a goldmine for producers and distributors."No wonder producers form an endless queue outside his door. The average cost of making a Rajinikanth film in Tamil is around Rs 70 lakh. But the film is sold by the producer to the distributor for over Rs 1 crore. A super-successful Rajinikanth film can do business for over Rs 2 crore. Some producers are even buying and dubbing some of his earlier, run-of-the-mill Hindi films into Tamil. Last week, yet another Hindi film of his, Asli Naqli, was dubbed into Tamil as Njane Valabhan. What then is the secret of the success of a man who rose from an ordinary bus conductor to be a megastar? In one word, charisma, Rajinikanth has a screen presence which is awe inspiring. In the Tamil context, his exaggerated swagger and his trademark gimmicks like tossing a cigarette in the air and catching it in his lips have made him a household Mani, an auto-driver who has seen Guru Shishya four times: "Rajani saar is my hero. All his films may look alike but his style is terrific." In Tamil Nadu, millions of children not only imitate the 'Rajani style' but also make him out to be a superman. Says AVM's Saravanan, the biggest producer in the South: "There is no need of a story in his films. There should be a chance for him to do comedy, drama and action. 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