TV superstar lost father at 19, had to sell his house, took up projects just for money, went on to star in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

While Arjun Bijlani’s childhood was filled with happy memories, life took an unfortunate turn in his final year of college. At 19, he lost his father, and the responsibilities of the family suddenly fell on his shoulders.

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Recalling how life went off track, the Naagin actor said he felt directionless for nearly a year. He also shared that his family had to sell their South Bombay home and move to Malad. “The elder son’s responsibility came when my dad passed away. I was 19, in my last year of college, and life suddenly changed. I was directionless, didn’t know what to do. We used to live in town, had to sell that house, and shift to Malad. I had never even heard of the place before. For one year, I was completely off track. I couldn’t get over the fact that my dad wasn’t there.”

While his father wanted him to do an MBA and get into business, Arjun Bijlani was fascinated with the acting world. Recalling how modelling happened, Arjun said, “There were a lot of other things I had to take care of. After 20, I decided to start modelling, as I needed to make money as well. I would also give auditions.” At 22, Arjun managed to bag his first acting assignment. It was a small role in a Balaji show called Kartika, where Arjun was seen opposite Jennifer Winget.

Recalling how his acting journey kick-started, the Ishq Main Marjawaan actor shared, “I was 22 when I did a small role in Balaji’s show Kartika. Anything that gave me money, I grabbed it. It was very difficult to get into the industry back then. All we knew was where the look test was happening and where the auditions were taking place. I used to call people and find out if I fit the bill for a part. There was no concept of acting school then, so by giving auditions, I was also getting to learn a lot. I was doing my own schooling and struggling.”

He added, “Although I would go and audition for the main lead, whatever role was offered to me, I would take it up, to just start somewhere. When I was modelling, those two years I didn’t get much work. I was doing ads on and off. Nobody from our family was into this, and she didn’t know anything about the industry, so my mother would wonder what I was doing. Every time I did something, I would cut it out and show her. She was very supportive. I used to borrow 100 rupees from her and go for auditions. During modeling days, we used to live in Mahim, so I would take a train to Mahalaxmi and then walk up to the famous studios, where most auditions would happen.”

In 2005, Arjun Bijlani got an opportunity to establish himself as a youth icon with Remix, and the young actor made the most of the opportunity. He went on to star in Left Right Left, which made him quite popular, and then stardom hit the young Arjun in 2008 with Miley Jab Hum Tum. “After Left Right Left, the popularity came in, and that character became very popular. When I went to malls or travelled, people knew me. It wasn’t so much, though, but after Miley Jab Hum Tum stepping out was difficult,” the actor recalled.

Sharing how he bagged Miley Jab Hum Tum, Arjun said, “I auditioned a couple of times for that role. Before this, I was doing Colors TV’s first fiction show called Mohey Rang Dey. Then Sudhir called me and said he saw great potential in me, and I should do a show as a main lead. I was very happy at that time. I auditioned at Lokhandwala. It was done very nicely. A proper brief was given, and I felt very good about it. Later, I was finalized. Sudhir and Seema were very lovely producers. We started shooting. After the show went on air, we saw the reactions and wondered what just happened.”

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In 2013, Arjun Bijlani married his childhood sweetheart, Neha, and in 2015, they welcomed their son, Ayaan. After Ayaan’s birth, things only improved for Arjun, as he went on to take up notable lead roles and even became a celebrated host on Indian television. Recalling a moment when he experienced stardom up close, Arjun described attending an event in Kolkata where women broke barricades just to reach him.

Today, Arjun Bijlani is a celebrated name, with numerous trophies and awards adorning the walls of his luxurious home. In 2021, he won Khatron Ke Khiladi 11. In 2023, he made a cameo appearance in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Most recently, he emerged as the winner of MX Player’s reality show Rise and Fall. Talking about dealing with stardom, the actor said, “TV is a powerful medium, and we get respect from a lot of people. I used to feel the adulation and love from people; they sent me gifts, letters, and I have kept all the things with me. It’s beautiful for a guy who is not from the industry. My takeaway has been that this can be temporary; if you want it to be permanent, you need to be the same way for years, have patience, and never lose respect for what fans give you. Never take fans for granted. Actors need to understand how they conduct themselves, especially with their fans.”

Even as he describes himself as being in a happy space, Arjun’s only regret is that his father wasn’t there to see him marry or to meet his son.

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