The Untold Struggles of Bollywood’s Biggest Stars

[{"selector":"#anim-4faa78bb-ef06-4784-9111-bcbc8d2001fc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4144674c-be0f-499f-9f33-d0d12202115a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-835de9d9-fe26-4e0a-9978-c2c5cbf6bfb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d44c8ef8-b7e5-4053-bc39-64a724b29630","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d86d9b22-9ae0-4a13-9120-7d222ed46718","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] SRK lost his parents early and had no industry connections. He was told he wasn’t “hero material,” but his determination led him to rule Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan

[{"selector":"#anim-711867d1-f09c-488a-9d0d-2fcad9b5f702 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eaf55031-462c-405e-9ca0-224d330d99f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bfdd7e5-1fb4-4e04-9e68-53fb9f7a3990","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f78f3b9-12f2-4812-9022-29db2ec4f734","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1ce71d3-3b5c-42d4-a9a0-be44417e83fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Nawazuddin faced rejection for his unconventional looks. He worked odd jobs, including as a chemist, before finally getting noticed for his raw talent Nawazuddin Siddiqui

[{"selector":"#anim-7fdef287-fbc8-4daa-9713-f405427ca48b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36950ddc-d291-4482-9b95-988523db6e29","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce97d826-a5f6-4a85-a628-0081bd8be7d8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a872c715-03b1-4743-a6b8-64e82a79b37f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8fb2c95-1ff9-4889-9a1e-204388745da0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Amitabh had 12 consecutive flops before his breakthrough. He even slept on benches at Marine Drive, proving that persistence pays off Amitabh Bachchan

[{"selector":"#anim-180f4efd-04ba-4a6f-885c-8e1fda38d1ed [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4ea2424-5844-40c0-8380-1b127f9a7005","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-144d0bf6-46c2-4cb4-b842-8cb7f6e8e4ab","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4afe88e6-034b-479b-9564-57d926f41f30","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42818d88-bfc8-4aea-b79a-6eaae629f930","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Akshay missed his first film audition because he overslept! He worked in Bangkok as a chef before returning to India and making it big Akshay Kumar

[{"selector":"#anim-dfafb051-c39c-4331-b01b-69c6d28b80c7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7dd0434a-6a80-4543-aa35-0a455b0aa9c3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13ee3886-3c54-46f7-bf74-cfa40a06d2d1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 231.20908%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c69a73c1-2d44-4b1f-ba21-92b4a2d5a4f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-379505d5-6622-48b4-bed6-630496c1df88","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Pankaj was rejected multiple times for his rural accent. He kept auditioning until Bollywood finally recognized his brilliance Pankaj Tripathi

[{"selector":"#anim-9cbc6417-7956-43a9-be02-e4e112b67ed8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-643588e4-a3b1-4ae9-a902-6bc899899df6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9401861d-1f38-45c8-8a7c-3cce87b480fa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff831f22-fb28-466c-b7b3-282751bb34d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-883b9318-fbcf-4fda-a56c-5991a2574ee2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Boman worked as a photographer and at the Taj Hotel before stepping into films. His late start didn’t stop him from becoming a fan favorite Boman Irani

[{"selector":"#anim-bd68dbae-0ffa-45c9-b3eb-fa42f7a6a7fb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1163660e-ffe8-4ed4-b403-f475d48ab149","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58341c73-07e8-4809-b436-d34859515607","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.65424%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c577dbe-8a3b-443c-9686-45d47357c175","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6af9920-e807-41a7-b828-74635284fd51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 689.71236%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Govinda faced rejection for his language skills but won hearts with his energy and dance moves, proving talent speaks louder than words Govinda

Next: From Fit to Fat: Bollywood Celebs Who Gained Weight for a Role

[{"selector":"#anim-7d3066b7-989c-4152-9fa3-1b93ff99bc25 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9232876d-9380-478b-a92a-581a2448cf65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab0bcf32-1e37-4bc2-99d2-9f2f71ade07a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.8384%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":30,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more