QAMYAB – THE FORGOTTEN GEMS OF BOLLYWOOD
Qamyab is our humble tribute to all those lesser-known actors, one hit wonders and junior artists who we see umpteen times but don’t know about; beyond their faces. These actors have been an integral part of Bollywood but didn’t get their due. This series is our sincere attempt to put a name to these faces, familiarize them to our readers and celebrate their achievements in life – however big or small. We believe that every artist contributes in his/her own way to the cinema’s success. Qamyab will explore the unknown lives of such actors and artists as we believe even these forgotten gems of Bollywood deserve their due recognition today.
The late ’80’s and early ’90s period introduced many Bollywood actors, who are ruling the industry till date. Super stars like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar are still going strong…
On the other hand, some ’90s newbies like Siddharth, Sudesh Berry, Rahul Roy, Prithvi and Jugal Hansraj couldn’t enjoy a long career in Bollywood and faded away or switched over to television (TV). One such rising star of that time, who fell short of stardom, is Avinash Wadhawan. Certain personal issues and wrong career moves were his undoing.
Avinash was born on 2nd November, 1968 as Rakesh Wadhawan in a middle-class family in Delhi. His father was in the defence while mother was a homemaker, His family didn’t have any connections with the movie world. Initially, Avinash didn’t aspire to be an actor. He was a bright student in school and junior college. He loved Mathematics, for which he won a gold medal in the XII grade.
While pursuing civil engineering at Delhi Civil Engineering College, some of his friends asked him to participate in a modelling contest. Avinash reluctantly filled the application form and to his surprise, he went on to become Prince Delhi. Soon after, modelling offers started pouring in and Wadhwan modelled for popular brands like Yamaha and Graviera Suitings.
Next, the city of dreams Bombay (now Mumbai) beckoned him but not for modelling or acting. Actually, Wadhawan wanted to pursue MBA and joined the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. While studying here, he again got convinced by his friend circle to participate in a fashion show backed by a top fashion designer. Avinash was competing with fellow strugglers like Chunky Panday and Deepak Malhotra. This fashion show became a success and Avinash bagged more assignments like Gwalior Suitings and Mayur Suitings.
Suddenly, Avinash became so busy that he did about sixty-five top brand advertisements in a single year. This unprecedented success made him quit his MBA course in the second semester as he was busy shooting for TV commercials and missed his minimum attendance in college
While still studying, Avinash went on to sign his debut Hindi film Pyar Ho Gaya (1986) with his real name Rakesh Wadhawan. This film bombed badly at the box office and today, even Avinash prefers not to speak about it. In 1987, he appeared in a small yet pivotal role in Insaf Ki Pukar alongside two veteran stars Dharmendra and Jeetendra. He was again credited as Rakesh Wadhawan in Insaf Ki Pukar. The movie, though a box office hit, couldn’t help his career in any manner
In the next two years, Wadhawan didn’t appear in any films but his modelling assignments were getting him noticed. He decided to scout for lead acting roles. In those days, strugglers would make their audition tapes on VHS and distribute them to top film producers and directors. Avinash too shot his fifteen-minutes video and distributed it to the offices of top producers like Gulshan Kumar and Subhash Ghai.
Around that time, showman Subhash Ghai was making his magnum opus Saudagar (1991). He came across Avinash’s tape and promptly asked to meet him. The meeting went fine but somehow, Ghai felt that Wadhawan looked a tad older to play a twenty-year-old hero as he had a towering personality. The role was finally bagged by newcomer Vivek Mushran.
At the same time, Sibte Hasan Rizvi who was the producer of multistarrer Joshilaay (1989), was stepping into direction. He offered Wadhawan his directorial venture Awaaz De Kahan Hai (1990). This can be said to be Wadhawan’s real debut in Bollywood as he was credited as Avinash Wadhawan and formally introduced opposite newcomer Shikha Swaroop. Unlike Pyar Ho Gaya, Awaaz De Kahan Hai was adequately promoted and noticed in the trade circles
Even before this film released in theatres, noted filmmaker K. Pappu, who was directing Aayee Milan Ki Raat for Gulshan Kumar, met Avinash Wadhawan. He expressed interest in casting him provided Avinash would show the rush prints of Awaaz De Kahan Hai. On a rainy day, Avinash travelled from suburbs to K. Pappu’s office in town with those rush prints. The director was impressed with the output and went on to sign him for Aayee Milan Ki Raat. Later, Avinash worked in his two other movies produced by the late great Gulshan Kumar: Meera Ka Mohan (1992) and Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi (1993)
Aayee Milan Ki Raat, a snake fantasy drama, became an unexpected box office hit of 1991. Avinash’s pairing with the beautiful Shaheen, along with its melodious songs, received tremendous audience appreciation. Avinash went on to appear in films like Rupaye Dus Karod (1991), Meera Ka Mohan (1992), Police Aur Mujrim (1992), Geet (1992), Junoon (1992), Parwane (1993) and Balmaa (1993).
The Mahesh Bhatt directed Junoon was a box office success and Avinash got noticed as its lead hero, though the film’s focus was on Rahul Roy playing the negative role of a guy turning in to a human-eating tiger. Another notable release featuring Wadhawan was the romantic drama Balmaa with Ayesha Jhulka, which received critical acclaim but unfortunately, released right in midst of the Hindu Muslim riots post Babri Masjid demolition, significantly affecting its box office performance.
Within the next two years, Avinash Wadhawan worked with top stars like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Raj Kumar, Amrita Singh, Sonu Walia, Divya Bharti, Ayesha Jhulka, Karisma Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn.
Having said that, Wadhawan lost out on quite a few big films like Phool Aur Kaante (1991), where a young Rohit Shetty, as a crew member, had approached him but Wadhawan declined the movie citing date issues. The other major film was Sir (1993), which Mahesh Bhatt had confirmed to Avinash on the sets of Junoon (1992). Unfortunately, his secretary messed up matters when writer Robin Bhatt went to sign Wadhawan for it. Atul Agnihotri got launched in his place.
Avinash’s biggest regret is losing out a Yash Chopra production named Yeh Dillagi (1994). He missed this offer due to his own negligence. Seems Yash Chopra had given him time at his office after they met informally in a restobar. Unfortunately, Avinash forgot about this appointment and spent that day with his sister in Pune. In the bargain, Wadhawan missed out grooving to the popular ‘Ole Ole’ number.
Another big mistake was refusing Deewana (1992), which launched SRK’s career. Its director Raj Kanwar was a good friend of Wadhawan and offered him the film but strangely, Avinash refused it citing date problems. Somehow, he was not convinced playing the second hero, who makes an entry post interval with his parallel lead being the evergreen Rishi Kapoor, who was a much senior star. Wadhawan’s loss was SRK’s gain and Deewana became a super hit at the box office.
Even with these wrong moves, Avinash Wadhawan was still considered a rising star of that time. Unfortunately, all his films from 1994 to ’96 fared miserably at the ticket counters. These include flops like Maha Shaktishali (1994), Fauj (1994), Aaja Sanam (1994), Gunda Mawali (1995), Phool Bane Patthar (1996), Shohrat (1996) and Papi Gudiya (1996).
During this time, Avinash was also facing personal issues with his wife. During the shoot of a certain movie, he travelled abroad but didn’t return due to these ongoing problems on the home front. He resided abroad forgetting the term ‘Out of sight; Out of mind’, which finished his Bollywood career.
When Wadhawan returned to India, he was shocked to see that Bollywood had changed completely. Only character roles in movies and TV serials came his way, which Avinash refused to do. He felt he still deserved lead roles but it was too late for him.
In 2003, Avinash Wadhawan formally separated from his wife Chhaya and decided to start a new innings in life. This time, he started taking up TV offers. Avinash went on to work in serials like Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani, Ehsaas, Detective Karan, Sapna Babul Ka, CID, Junoon, Balika Badhu, Doli Armanon Ki, Ssshhh Koi Hai, Piya Albela, Agar Tum Na Hote, etc. He also made his web series debut in State Of Siege.
Apart from Hindi, Avinash acted in regional language movies like Punjabi, Gujarati and Bhojpuri. This was during the dull phase in the late ‘90s, when he wanted to stay away from Mumbai due to his turbulent personal life.
After separating from his first wife, Avinash Wadhawan married Natasha in 2003 and they were blessed with a son in 2011. He has another son from his first marriage. Today, Avinash lives a blissful life with his family and enjoys working on TV.
Avinash Wadhawan has kept in touch with his former Bollywood colleagues, which include Madhoo, Varsha Usgaonkar, Ayesha Jhulka and Farheen. During his struggling days, he was close to Akshay Kumar and they would spend a lot of time together. Both have worked together in Dil Ki Baazi (1993), a box office dud.
Avinash considers the late music baron Gulshan Kumar to be his mentor and believes his career would have taken a positive direction, had Kumar not been assassinated in 1997. He also regrets mixing his personal and professional life. That just doesn’t work in Bollywood. We agree fully to that!!
© 2024 chitravedh All rights reserved.
All images courtesy Internet
COMMENTS