There’s no sure formula for a showbiz career, and a really great performance isn’t always a career-defining moment. There’s nothing quite like an actor who has gone on to capture the attention of the whole country with one big hit film, before taking a break from the silver screen. Here are ten Bollywood stars who made one big splash and then faded from the spotlight.
Bhagyashree in Maine Pyar Kiya
In this legendary romance film from 1989, Bhagyashree went on to become an overnight sensation with Salman Khan. Her innocent charm captured millions of hearts, and still people remember that energy. She, however, decided to step back from mainstream commercial cinema after marriage.
Gayatri Joshi in Swades
Gayatri Joshi made a very graceful and well-received performance in the 2004 drama Swades with Shah Rukh Khan. She got plenty of Best Debuts and was touted as a big-time superstar, but she decided to abandon the film industry for a private life and got married.
Kaiser Chahim in Eeshaq Huzoor
Kumar Gaurav started a huge fandom with his romantic debut film Love Story, which made him a historic film hit at the box office in 1981. He soon became a name in everyone’s mouth and a figure for the youth, but his later films did not live up to that magic.
Malini Sharma in Raaz
Malini Sharma has left a chilling, unforgettable impression as the vengeful spirit in the supernatural blockbuster Raaz 2002. Her performance and the film’s music were a big hit in India, and after her big break, she decided to stop the film industry altogether.
Rahul Roy in Aashiqui
Post musical blockbuster Aashiqui, Rahul Roy emerged as the epitome of nineties poster boy with his unique haircut and amiable character. The movie’s music and its popularity catapulted him to a huge star overnight, but his later ventures failed at the box office.
Sneha Ullal in Lucky: No Time for Love
Sneha Ullal made a huge entrance in 2005, when she got in touch with Salman Khan and shot a film, in which she looked quite close to Aishwarya Rai, and was, therefore, in the news a lot. The first release was followed by a period of time in which she was not able to find good Hindi movies to work on and gradually became completely away from Bollywood.
Sandeep Khosla in Jalwa
Sandeep Khosla was a star of the memorable fit-fans character in the popular action-comedy Jalwa (1987) and thus gained limelight for his impeccable acting skills in screen timing. He turned industries upside down and became one of India’s most successful fashion designers.
Sonal Chauhan in Jannat
Sonal Chauhan became a huge success in the crime-romance film Jannat (2008), alongside Emraan Hashmi, and the songs of the film became anthems. Though she became an overnight sensation and had a notable screen presence, she did not get big follow-up roles in Bollywood.
Priyanshu Chatterjee in Tum Bin
Priyanshu Chatterjee was an instant hit as a romantic hero in the sleeper hit Tum Bin in 2001. He looked like a pretty boy, and the movie’s phenomenal musical success sort of made it seem as if he was on an upward trajectory as the main leading man, but then later he ended up doing a couple of flops, which basically derailed his mainstream career.
Rajat Barmecha in Udaan
Rajat Barmecha put in a powerful, award-winning kind of performance in the 2010 coming-of-age masterpiece Udaan. The movie got this cult pull later on, and critics kept praising his huge acting potential, but somehow the mainstream setup just did not give him roles on the same scale as parallel leading parts.
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