Oh beta ji… kismet ki hawa kabhi naram, kabhi garam, kabhi naram garam… Okay, we’ll stop! But we can’t deny that this catchy tune has been on our mind constantly ever since we watched the amazingly crafted Netflix movie, Ludo. And, talking about the chaotic and whimsical movie, we have to mention the actor that truly caught our attention with his fine performance – Rohit Saraf.
Just like the catchy song (don’t worry, we are not going to sing it again), Rohit’s career graph in B-town has been quite naram-garam as well, i.e. full of ups and downs. He made his debut with a small role in Dear Zindagi in 2016 (remember Kiddo? Yea, that’s him now!) but his actual debut movie was supposed to be Banana by John Abraham’s production company.
However, the movie was never released and Rohit stayed without work for almost two years! Talking about the difficult phase, he said in an interview to a digital publication, “There was a very bad phase for me where for two years, I did not get any work, and this was initially when I started, in 2014-15. I did not do any work during that time, I did not even get ads. I would audition for 50-60 ads in a month and would get nothing. It affected me not just mentally but also physically. I put on 14 KGs in those two years. It was a very bad phase. I think it is important to have those phases too because if it is just an upward ride, you wouldn’t know what down feels like.”
Thankfully, the ‘bad phase’ didn’t last long and Rohit appeared in some other small roles in movies like Rani Mukherjee’s Hichki (2018) and Priyanka Chopra’s The Sky Is Pink (2019). Even though the actor starred in such critically acclaimed movies, he finally got the recognition by the audience as his smart yet sweet character of Rahul in Ludo.
Ludo was a star-studded movie that featured some extremely talented artists like Aditya Roy Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkumar Rao, and Pankaj Tripathi. However, for a comparatively fresh face like Rohit to make an impact on the audience, while sharing the screen with such renowned actors, is really saying something. Talking about his experience in the industry, Rohit said in an interview, “What I understand better is that there’s room for many artistes to coexist and do equally amazing work. The competition should be with oneself and the only goal should be improve oneself with each day. If you’re talented, you can’t be ignored.”
Rohit’s career in the industry might be short for now but we really cannot ignore that his selection of movies has been quite impressive. From working with the finest actors of the industry to choosing scripts that are quite engaging, Rohit has been quite mindful when it comes to signing films. Talking about the journey, he said, “When I look at the journey I’ve made thus far, I feel incredibly grateful. The one thing that I’ve always wanted to do with my work is to create value and that’s something that I’ve been able to do with all the projects I’ve had the fortune to be a part of. It’s the one thing that inspires me. I’m hopeful that with all the projects that I’m going to associate myself with moving forward will allow me to continue doing the same.”
Rohit did not have many dialogues in Ludo but he said all he had to say with his expressive eyes. His fans couldn’t ignore the fact that the innocent-looking actor with a charming persona would do wonders in a romantic role–and as if right on cue, the 23-year-old star signed a romantic drama called Mismatched that released on November 20! The Netflix original also stars YouTuber Prajakta Koli, MTV fame Rannvijay Singha, and Vidya Malavade.
The coming-of-age movie is a light-hearted drama based on the novel called When Dimpy Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. Talking about the same, Saraf said, “When I read the script, It took me back to the world that we were all, at some point, familiar and in love with. There was a sense of nostalgia and relatability. Besides, the fact that it was a Netflix original, was very exciting because we were going to cater to over 190 countries.”
It’s really refreshing to see that OTT platforms in India are giving chance to such young and talented artists. Moreover, it’s even more wonderful that new actors like Rohit are not ‘playing safe’ but slaying it with different kinds of characters and genres of movies. Rohit will soon be seen in the Tamil movie Enge Andha Vaan.
Looking forward to seeing more of you, Rohit Saraf!
Feature Image: Instagram
