One-film wonders
Some actors are unable to sustain themselves in the film industry despite 
their debut film being a hit at the boxoffice
Shoma A. Chatterji

IF you are a couch potato and watch Parvarish on Sony TV these days, you might recognise the slightly bald actor Vivek Mushran who made his debut in Subhash Ghai’s blockbuster Saudagar (1991). The success of the film led to other films but Saudagar ran because of Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar dominating screen space and Vivek Mushran remained an also-ran that impacted negatively on the boxoffice returns of his later films. He, however, carved out a successful career on television.

One of the unexplained and unsolved mysteries of Hindi cinema is the vanishing act some actors play after their debut film is a boxoffice hit. 

A classic example of a talented actress fading away slowly from films and from public memory is Rehana Sultan, one of the earliest FTII alumni, who won the Best Actress Award for her debut performance in littérateur Rajinder Singh Bedi’s feature film Dastak (1970). Her bold portrayal of a prostitute who becomes one voluntarily but cannot cope with marriage made the film a boxoffice hit. But similar roles in low-budget films led to a steady downfall and she faded from the industry. 

One of the most tragic stories of one-film wonders is that of Rajendra Kumar’s son Kumar Gaurav, whose first film Love Story (1981) was one of the biggest hits of the decade. It also marked the debut of Vijeta Pandit. Neither of them could consolidate their success. Rajendra Kumar, who launched him, destroyed him too by pricing him out of the industry after his first success. 

Two classic cases of two one-film wonders who could do nothing out of their first film that was a super duper hit are Mandakini and Rajeev Kumar, the youngest of Raj Kapoor’s three sons. Their debut with Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) even won a nomination for Mandakini from Filmfare. That too could not do anything to her career filled with vague roles in indifferent films. Rajeev’s family heritage could not salvage him and he remains the only failure in the Kapoor family. 

One of the historic stories of self-destruction is that of Bhagyashree who, after the phenomenal success of Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) opposite Salman Khan, refused every single offer unless the producers took on her new husband Himalaya in the cast. The three producers who signed her on this condition faced complete disaster. By the time she realised her mistake, it was too late.

A Gulshan Kumar film directed by Mahesh Bhatt that was a stupendous success was Aashiqui (1990). It marked the debut of Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal a dusky beauty who made the transition from modelling to films. But Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal could do nothing after this strikingly successful debut film. 

Gracy Singh was picked by Aamir Khan to play his romantic lead in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan (2001). The film went to the Oscars and was a very big hit commercially, along with critical success across the media. But Gracy is now an also-ran in films that hardly reach the theatres.

The svelte and sophisticated Chitrangada Singh got a very good break in Sudhir Mishra’s critically successful Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi (2005) became noted for the controversies she created backed by her break from films for marriage and motherhood. She is now consoling herself with modelling assignments for television.

The list goes on covering Jugal Hansraj, Uday Chopra, Shamita Shetty, Preeti Jhangiani and Kim Sharma, who failed to make it big after the thumping boxoffice success of Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein (2000). 
The only one who could salvage his career from anonymity somewhat is Jimmy Shergil, who made an electrifying debut in Gulzar’s Maachis (1996) which failed to do ditto to the hero Chandrachur Singh, whose name few recall today. 

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