12 Actors Who Were Told They Won’t Be Able To Make It Big But They Did

There are numerous aspiring actors who want to make it big in the Bollywood industry. Very few among them succeed but most of them don’t get a chance to prove themselves. The Bollywood film industry gives so much importance to looks that often the real talents are left behind. Despite all the struggles and challenges, there are some actors who succeeded in making a name in the industry and in this article we are going to mention them.

Here is a list of successful actors who were told at some point in time that they wouldn’t be able to make a mark in the film industry:

1. Amitabh Bachchan

Unbelievable right? Well, initially no one liked Amitabh Bachchan’s deep baritone voice which is now his USP in the entertainment industry. According to reports, Big B was rejected by All India Radio, the reason being his “voice”.

Later, Amitabh Bachchan’ started his career as a voice narrator in Mrinal Sen’s film Bhuvan Shome in 1969. Mrinal Sen even mentioned that he won’t be able to make it big. Talking about Big B, he once said,

“His voice is ok … but he will never make it as an actor.”

Big B is in his 80s and is still one of the highly respected actors. It is the biggest irony.

2. Anushka Sharma

When Anuska made an appearance in Bollywood, she was labeled “plain Jane” as a lot of people thought that Anushka Sharma was “too plain’ looking.

Karan Johar even admitted once that he almost ruined her career. He said,

“I completely wanted to murder Anushka Sharma’s career because when Aditya Chopra showed me her picture, I was like ‘no no, you no need to sign Anushka Sharma. There was another lead actor whom I wanted Adi to sign”

For the role of Taani in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Sonam Kapoor was shortlisted. Aditya Chopra told Anushka Sharma that she was second on the list. However, Anushka nailed the audition and bagged the role. After that, there was no looking back for the talented actress.

3. Irrfan Khan

Irrfan Khan started his acting career with television, he was known as the master of method acting. Irrfan once disclosed that “they thought my acting was so bad” that he wasn’t even paid. Eventually, he got recognized as a real talent who entered into films and made his mark not only in Bollywood but also in Hollywood.

4. Rajkummar Rao

Rajkummar Rao is another talented actor who was told he was not fit to play a lead role because he didn’t have a fair complexion. As per rep[sorts by DNA, the actor once mentioned,

“He [casting director] really liked my test but told me, ‘Acting is fine, but I can’t give you a lead part because leading heroes are supposed to be fair and muscular. But do you want to play a small character in my film?'”

Today, he is one of the best actors in Tinsel Town who needs no introduction.

5. Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan, the beautiful lady who rocked the role of woman protagonists in films like Parineeta, Kahaani, and The Dirty Picture among others, wasn’t regarded for lead roles. She once told Filmfare,

“I was carrying the anger of rejection, the judgment around my body, the criticism around my dressing. I’ve been called ‘jinxed’ down South. I rejected my body all my life. I worked hard at accepting myself”

6. Shah Rukh Khan

Can you believe it? Yes, the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan was considered ugly and not fit to become a hero. SRK was told by a director that he was ugly and he also believed that at that moment. He shared this incident by saying,

“There’s a wonderful director friend of mine, and he met me and he said, ‘you are so ordinary and ugly looking’. Yeah, he told me on my face.”

Initially, in his career, he played a few negative roles, about that he once mentioned to NDTV,

“The reasons I agreed to do roles which the other guys were saying no to (for whatever their mindset was), a Darr or a Baazigar, was because I thought I’m not good-looking enough to be a hero, so let me just get a villain’s job. I didn’t do it because I was gutsy or because I knew I could pull it off, I’m such a great actor”

However, Yash Chopra, who he sees as his father figure, saw potential in him as a romantic hero. Undoubtedly, today he is called the king of romance and the king of Bollywood.

7. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

The talented actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has also faced many rejections because of his dark skin tone. The actor once told HT,

“I don’t look like a film actor. Yeh kya karega? That’s how I was initially welcomed”

He later proved to the world that acting has nothing to do with looks.

Thank U 4 making me realise dat I cannot b paired along wid d fair & handsome bcz I m dark & not good looking, but I never focus on that.

— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) July 17, 2017

8. Priyanka Chopra

PC is now a household name not only in Bollywood but is a star in Hollywood as well. She is one of the very few actors who have been able to make a successful career in Hollywood. But once again we got to know that when she started her journey as an actor in Bollywood, Priyanka Chopra’s capabilities were questioned initially. She was quoted as saying by ETimes,

“I have always been told that ‘Yeh thodi na kar payegi’ and ‘you won’t be able to do it’. I have always heard that but I just keep walking forward and keep doing my work”

9. Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh once revealed in an interview with Bollywood Hungama that Aditya Chopra who launched him had told him in the second meeting,

“You’re not Hrithik Roshan, toh tu acting kar lena (so you please act)”

Later, as per reports of Navbharat Times, he mentioned,

“Ahead of the release of my first film, I went to the theatre to watch some other movie. My poster was up there and two guys were discussing the poster. ‘Who is he, he does not look like a hero,’ they said. I heard it.”

10. Adil Hussain

Adil Hussain is a talented actor who was seen in movies like Life of Pi, English Vinglish, Kabir Singh, Lootera, and shows and series like Delhi Crime and Star Trek: Discovery. The actor once revealed on Neelesh Misra’s show that he can’t act because he is not fair. He said he was told,

“Tu toh kala hai tu acting kaise karega?”

11. Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri once told RJ Siddharth Kanan in an interview,

“People used to say that I don’t look like a heroine because I was a very young girl, from Maharashtrian roots, very petite. Everybody has those myths about what should a heroine should look like”

Yes, the Queen of Hearts who delivered several hit films in the 90s, was also told that she doesn’t look like a heroine. Can you believe that?

12. Katrina Kaif

In her initial days, Katrina Kaif was rejected by filmmakers for her looks. Wait what? Yes, she was rejected for her “foreigner-like looks”. Everyone thought she was only fit for supporting roles and she wouldn’t be able to make it big as a heroine.

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Katrina disclosed,

“got thrown out, not thrown out, let’s say replaced in a film called Saaya which was an Anurag Basu film with John Abraham and Tara Sharma. After shooting one shot, not one day but just one shot. At that time I thought my life was over. I thought my career was over.”

As per reports, John had refused to work with her as she was not fluent in Hindi. Later, when they were cast together in New York Katrina was skeptical about working with John, but Salman convinced her to let go of the past.