Once broke and battling arthritis and depression, this 66-year-old Dubai model went on to star with Shah Rukh Khan and Jessica Alba, and his name is…

Time of India

6 days ago

There was a time when the 60s were regarded as the age bracket best fit for retirement. However, for Puneed Sud, age is just a number, and it simply can't slow him down. At the age of 66, Puneet Sud has transformed himself into a model-actor who is working alongside some of the biggest names of Bollywood and Hollywood - such as
Shah Rukh Khan
,
Jessica Alba
, Zach Efron, and
Jeremy Irons
.
From a corporate employee to a glamworld model
According to Gulf News, Puneet came to Dubai decades ago with only $ 2 and a dream to make it big in the city. Initially, he sold door-to-door T-shirts and caps, and then in 1991, he joined a news organization. Later, he co-founded a magazine as well.
He hates the word retirement, as, according to him, it is for cars that don't run anymore.
However, this determination that she showcases together came to him after he fought his toughest battle with a crippling disease.
In 2016, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and Puneet told the news portal that he was on the verge of giving up. 'I had suicidal thoughts. It was dark,' he said.
However, the same disease became the catalyst for his reinvention. Puneet recalled a three-second ad shoot that changed his perspective towards life. He shared that he played a very small role in an ad shoot, which he landed because the actor who was supposed to play the grandfather didn't show up. After the shoot, he went home and told his wife, 'Forget the coffee, I'm a star!'
Working with the stars
Puneet's big break came during COVID.
He was seen opposite Jessica Alba and Zac Efron in a Dubai Tourism ad. The actress even told him that he reminded her of her grandfather. 'That broke the ice,' said Puneet.
Thereafter, he got a chance to play a cameo in a commercial with Shah Rukh Khan. Though most of his scene was edited out, Puneet recalled his experience with SRK and said, 'The man walked in at 9 pm, fashionably late, but when he enters, time does stop.'
And the list doesn't end here....
Puneet got a pivotal role opposite Jeremy Irons in a Hollywood film, and this topped all his previous achievements.
'I auditioned late at night, got the role, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting across from an Academy Award winner. Watching him rehearse was like a masterclass in acting,' said Puneet.
This journey was not without rejections; however, he refused to take them as stoping signs. And looking ahead, he is optimistic about further redefining the age norms.