Just as Vikrant Massey did, several other actors also quit their flourishing television careers to pursue cinema, however, not all achieved the same level of success!
"...but all that regressive content on TV was happening simultaneously and I felt like coming out of the world and try my luck in cinema." - Vikrant Massey.
It's been months since '12th Fail' was released in theatres, and the film continues to generate buzz across platforms today. And Vikrant Massey... well, it seems like after winning the Filmfare Award, he is poised to maintain his dominance at the other award ceremonies (especially the National Awards) ahead as well. However, while the actor is currently on cloud nine, it's also essential to acknowledge that his journey to success was paved with risks.
Vikrant Massey began his acting career on television and soared to towering success in no time. With hit shows like 'Balika Vadhu', 'Dharam Veer', and 'Qubool Hai', he became a star and could enjoy an even more promising tv career ahead. However, he knew he was meant for better things, and so, chose to abandon television to venture into cinema.
In a recent interview, the actor spoke about the same, saying, "I earned a lot in TV. I bought my first house at the age of 24. But all that regressive content on TV was happening simultaneously and I felt like coming out of the world and trying my luck in cinema. I realized that though I became secure financially, it didn't help me sleep well. I had this realization when I fulfilled all my financial responsibilities towards my parents and others.”
"I quit TV at the time when I had a Rs 35 lakh per month contract in my hand. I decided to do good work and find peace.”
However, while Massey made it big in films, not everyone who quits television and steps into cinema achieves the same level of success.
In this article, let's have a look at some of those actors who quit their successful television careers for cinema but failed to make the mark.
Rajeev Khandelwal made his debut as a lead actor with the television series 'Kahiin To Hoga' in 2003, and became an overnight star. He became a household name across India in no time and went on to appear in several shows such as 'Time Bomb 9/11', 'Sun Leyna', 'Left Right Left', and 'Reporters'. However, he quit his television career to try his luck in cinema.
Khandelwal's first film, 'Aamir', was released in 2008, and although it was a commercial success, it did not match the level of success that he had in television. After that, he did several other films ('Shaitan', 'Soundtrack', and 'Table No.21') as well, but failed to establish himself as a film star.
Gurmeet Choudhary is best known for his portrayal of Lord Rama in 'Ramayan'. Besides, he also received acclaim for his roles as Maan Singh Khurana in 'Geet – Hui Sabse Parayi 'and Yash Suraj Pratap Sindhina in 'Punar Vivaah - Zindagi Milegi Dobara'.
In 2015, he quit his flourishing television career to star in the psychological thriller 'Khamoshiyan', produced by Fox Studios India and Vishesh Films. The film did below-average business at the box office, and while he went on to star in a few other films as well, none turned out to be successful.
In 2011, with his role as Arnav Singh Raizada in 'Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon', Barun Sobti rose to fame at an unprecedented level and became a household name across the nation. He literally was the national heartthrob at the time, and his stardom could give many in Bollywood a run for their money.
However, after a few years, he chose to take a break from television, and made his film debut with 'Main Aur Mr. Riight'. The actor's performance in the film received acclaim, however, the film was a disaster both critically and commercially. He went on to appear in films like 'Tu Hai Mera Sunday' and 'Halahal', none of which succeeded at the box office. In recent times, he received praise for his performance in web shows like 'Asur' and 'Kohrra'.
Besides the above-mentioned actors, the list also includes Salil Ankola, Karan Kundra, Aman Verma, Prachi Desai, Karan Singh Grover, and Hansika Motwani.
