Navigating an acting career in the entertainment industry is full of challenges, and the popular idea of overnight fame is often a romanticised myth. Such was the case for Kiara Advani when she embarked on her journey in Bollywood. While many assume her breakthrough began with blockbuster hits like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) or Kabir Singh (2019), her actual debut took place much earlier with the 2014 comedy-thriller Fugly.
In a candid conversation on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Kiara reflected on some of the more difficult phases of her career. She admitted that her journey in the film industry has not always been filled with back-to-back opportunities and success. There were periods of uncertainty and slowdown, especially when some of her films failed to perform well at the box office. However, instead of being discouraged, the 34-year-old actor shared that she chose to view every setback and lull in her career as a valuable learning experience that helped shape her growth as an actor.
Kiara Advani reflects on struggling to book roles
Kiara revealed that since her debut film Fugly failed to perform well at the box office, the appreciation she received from critics for her performance did not immediately translate into more work opportunities. She recalled spending that phase of her career constantly auditioning, waiting for callbacks, facing rejections, and occasionally landing a role. The 34-year-old actor further shared that for someone who is just starting out in the industry, it becomes especially challenging to secure good opportunities when their films do not succeed commercially.
The Kabir Singh actor recalled, “After that film (Fugly), there was a big lull because the film didn’t open well. However, critically, several critics praised my performance. But, nothing translated into work. So, it was the same waiting game of going to auditions, some making it, some not. Lots of your choices are also limited. When you are starting off and don’t deliver commercially, the opportunities coming your way are much less. The process is longer.”
However, despite facing multiple setbacks, she did not allow them to diminish her passion or determination. She shared that every disappointment taught her something valuable, and in hindsight, she is grateful for having gone through those difficult phases. Calling the lows in her career her “biggest teachers,” Kiara reflected on how those challenging experiences ultimately helped her grow stronger and more resilient.
“I knew work would bring work”
Even after the commercial success of MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and Kabir Singh, opportunities did not suddenly come easy for Kiara Advani. She admitted that it was still the “same story” after MS Dhoni, with her continuing to audition and struggle for roles. It was only after the massive success of Kabir Singh that her career began gaining stronger momentum, though she still had to work hard to establish herself in the industry.
Kiara explained, “Even after Dhoni, it was the same story. Kabir Singh released in 2019 and then there was no looking back. Those five years had a lot of auditions, waiting, rejections and a few films that I was shooting for. I knew work would bring work, and that actually happened. That’s the age when you are so driven about giving your best.”
