From Shah Rukh Khan to Vidya Balan: Popular Bollywood actors who began their careers from television

The glamourous industry of Bollywood attracts millions of people from around the world but only a handful of dreams turn into reality. The popular actors in the showbiz whom we see today are enjoying their time in the industry but they too have had their share of struggles.

Many began their innings in the world of acting in the humble medium of television but did not remain constrained to the small screen and made it big in Bollywood. From Shah Rukh Khan to Vidya Balan to Sushant Singh Rajput, here’s a list of popular actors who began their careers from television.

Shah Rukh Khan is undoubtedly the Baadshah of Bollywood. However, this king too had a humble beginning to his now glorious career in the medium of television. The actor was a part of two TV soap operas namely, ‘Circus’ and ‘Fauji’.

However, evidently, he was meant for much bigger things in life. He made his big Bollywood debut with ‘Deewana’, in 1992 and since then there has been no looking back for the superstar.

Even before Vidya Balan won our hearts with her fetching character in ‘The Dirty Picture’ and the perfect homemaker in ‘Tumhari Sulu’, she made us all laugh with her popular TV show, ‘Hum Paanch’ in 1995.

She played the character of Radhika in the comedy serial. Reportedly, she tried a lot to be part of Hindi cinema but failed due to body stereotypes in the industry. However, she has beaten all odds today to be one of the most versatile and loved actress in Bollywood.

Ayushmann Khurrana has successfully created a niche for himself in Bollywood with his unique choices of films and brilliant performances. However, like many others out there, he started his career through a few TV reality shows like, ‘Pop Stars’ and ‘Roadies’.

He finally made his way to the big screen and the audience’s hearts with his debut, Vicky Donor, in 2012.

Irrfan Khan was one actor in Bollywood who took the level of acting many notches up with his brilliant performances. The actor, who was also a global phenomenon, had a humble start to his career in TV.

Irrfan began his career from acting in serials like ‘Chanakya’, ‘Chandrakanta’, and ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’. He also bagged a cameo in Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay (1988), but the part was edited out. Reportedly, it wasn’t until his breakthrough role in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Shakespearean adaptation ‘Maqbool’, that he was noticed on the big screen.

Even before he became one of the most loved and popular actors in Bollywood, he made his way into the hearts of millions of his fans with his TV serials.

Sushant entered the field of acting through the TV serial ‘Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil’. However, he rose to popularity after acting in ‘Pavitra Rishta’. He made his big Bollywood debut with ‘Kai Po Che’.

R Madhavan is undoubtedly one of the heartthrobs of Indian cinema. Even today, he makes all the women out there go weak in the knees. He kick-started his acting career with the television series, ‘Banegi Apni Baat’.

He soon made his big screen debut in the Kannada film, ‘Shanti Shanti Shanti’ and ever since then there has been no looking back for the versatile actor. His break in Bollywood came soon after this when he bagged his first lead role in a Hindi movie, ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Main’.

Yami Gautam has successfully created a space for herself in Bollywood. Like many others, she too began her career through small screen before making it big in Bollywood. She came to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting and got her acting break in ‘Chaand Ke Paar Chalo’.

The actress went on to act in many other serials before she got her break in Bollywood like, ‘Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam’. She made her big Bollywood debut with Ayushmann Khurran starrer, ‘Vicky Donor’.