Last Updated: May 21, 2023, 14:59 IST
Jugal Hansraj talk about his bollywood career
Actor shares candid insights into the setbacks, emotions, and resilience that shaped his journey
Jugal Hansraj, a very popular actor of the 90s era, doesn’t need any introduction. He is known for his notable roles in Bollywood films including Papa Kahte Hai, Mohabbatein, and many more. But unfortunately, he did not become very successful as he wanted to be. In a conversation with ETimes, the actor spoke candidly about the challenges he faced. He also revealed that he had experienced moments of despair and shed tears over shelved projects and was also labeled as “jinxed” in the industry.
As quoted by ETimes, Jugal said, “I won’t deny that it hasn’t been tough. Dealing with the failure of my movies was incredibly difficult. Not only did I face criticism from media reviewers, but they also attacked me personally. I’ve been called various names and labeled as a jinx. Moreover, the numerous films that never even started production led people to mock me. They would make comments like, ‘Oh, it’s about time Jugal attends mahurats of his own films’ when I attended events for other movies. Initially, when my projects were shelved, it would bring me to tears when I was 18 or 19. However, over time, I grew immune to such disappointments.”
He recalls receiving calls for the film which he had signed and was supposed to start soon was no longer happening. “I became numb to it. Nevertheless, it remains challenging when you work hard and face unkind comments about your work. Sometimes people take it personally, which is unnecessary. It’s just a movie, and one can either like it or not without resorting to personal attacks. The industry is tough, and people can be harsh and cruel, but that’s the reality one must accept when entering this field,” the actor added.
He called all these challenging and even said that friends changes based on the success or failure of your movies. “Some individuals only come back when things are going well. That’s just how some people are, although not everyone. Growing up, I was heavily influenced by a variety of films. Like most of India, I loved watching Amitabh Bachchan’s movies and Rishi Kapoor’s films. I also had a fondness for the works of Farooq Shaikh, Amol Palekar, and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. These were my favorites, and their films shaped my preferences. However, I’m simply a lover of movies and enjoy watching films of all genres. Nowadays, I’ve expanded my interests to include web series and shows from around the world, thanks to the accessibility we have. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore diverse content, and I thoroughly enjoy it,” he was quoted.
On the work front, Jugal was last seen in Shiv Shastri Balboa co starring stars Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta. He was also part of the Netflix series Mismatched. He will be next seen in the anthology, NRI WIVES. Directed by Gunjan Kuthiala, the movie also features Bhagyashree, Raima Sen, Samir Soni, Kiku Sharda, Aditi Govitrikar, Hiten Tejwani, Gaurav Gera and many more.
