Meet actor who won Mr. India, made blockbuster debut, but his career was ruined after..., Priyanka Chopra refused to work with him due to..., he is...
In a candid interview with Siddharth Kannan in May 2024, Rajneish shared the lesser-known saga behind his Bollywood detour and said, 'I was the first choice for Yakeen, I was signed for the film. In fact, I was working on it. When I met director Girish Dhamija, he asked me, 'When can you move to Mumbai?' I was already planning to move to Mumbai. So, I got training from Girish ji himself; he is an alumnus of the National School of Drama and a dialect coach. They signed a three-film deal with me. I had a double role in the film with Priyanka as the lead. They put me in a penthouse at Juhu 10th Road. They gave me a car and a driver. One call and a person would bring food to my flat. I was going to classes and fully preparing. I prepared for two to two and a half months. I left brand endorsements of Siyaram, Vimal, and other companies to concentrate on the film.'
But then came the twist.
He added, 'Suddenly, the producer, Sujit Kumar Singh, called me to his office at night. He told me that Priyanka has become a big star in the period since they had signed me and they had paid her for the bulk deal, now she is saying, 'I will not work with a newcomer.' My first reaction was that change the girl because I only saw them putting money on me. I didn't understand the movie business at that time. They said Priyanka wanted that, but I feel it could have been the managers or the people around her. I don't blame her, but she was aware that I was doing the film. She could have said, 'No, he will do it'.'
Eventually, Yakeen went ahead with Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra, while Rajneish made his debut three years later in the Vikram Bhatt horror film 1920 . The film was a surprise hit, but unfortunately, it would remain his only major box office success. String of flop films
In the years that followed, he appeared in a slew of underwhelming films ( Be Careful , Spark , Wajah Tum Ho , Laal Rang , among others) — none of which lived up to the promise of his debut. Over time, the model-turned-actor quietly racked up a list of over 15 flops.
Now, Rajneish is eyeing a second act on OTT, with appearances in Inspector Avinash , Video Cam Scam , and Postcards . Will digital stardom succeed where Bollywood stumbled? The camera's rolling once again — only this time, no one's saying cut … yet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ratan Thiyam: Thespian who stretched limits of Indian stage
Ratan Thiyam, one of modern Indian theatre's most influential directors and the founder-director of Chorus Repertory Theatre in Manipur, passed away in the early hours of July 23 in Imphal. He was 77. Over five decades, he shaped a theatre of discipline and immersion, where visual precision met a deep faith in the actor's body and its possibilities. Productions like Chakravyuh, Andha Yug, Uttar Priyadarshi, Lengshonnei, and Lairembigee Eshe were more than adaptations of familiar epic narratives. In Thiyam's hands, they became orchestrated acts of endurance, where time stretched and performance brushed against ritual. In doing so, he transformed the Indian stage's relationship to time, movement, and scale. Thiyam graduated from the National School of Drama in 1974, the first ever from Manipur to do so, alongside peers such as Rohini Hattangadi and Rajesh Vivek. In 1976, he returned to Manipur to set up Chorus on the outskirts of Imphal, on a quiet stretch of land bordered by paddy fields, red earth, and the open sky. Recognition did not come easy. For an artist from Manipur, it meant building not just a body of work, but an entire ecosystem of rigour, almost from the ground up. The space he created was part theatre, part training ground, and part retreat, where actors trained for years in voice, movement, martial arts, design, and stamina. As he once said, 'I have always found human expression more convincing when it is physically portrayed, when there is a body rhythm.' That rhythm governed everything, from lights and costume to sound and blocking. The ensemble didn't simply perform roles; they held presence, moving like figures in a long ceremony, stretching gesture into image, and image into duration. Critics at the 1987 Edinburgh Fringe Festival hailed Chakravyuh as 'sheer poetry in motion,' with a 'brilliant piece of choreography… unlike anything seen elsewhere.' Even for audiences unfamiliar with Manipuri, the energy held them for over two hours. In Japan, Andha Yug, staged in 1994 on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, was praised for its intense intimacy and seismic resonance, shifting ancient epic violence into a contemporary register. Recalling his early years at NSD, he reflected in a 2020 The Indian Express profile: 'I came out knowing all about Greek and European theatre… I wanted to learn about indigenous Indian theatre. After all, we go to the roots to learn of our identity.' That search shaped his entire practice. Thiyam's aesthetic drew from the performance codes of the Natyashastra, Manipuri martial traditions, and Buddhist philosophy, not as fixed heritage, but as living systems that could be retooled to meet the urgencies of the present. Chorus Repertory became a site for a radical 'new form', one that refused both colonial mimicry and the comfort of cultural revivalism. Too often packaged into the shorthand of the 'Theatre of Roots', his work rarely romanticised the idea of 'roots'. It interrogated them, using tradition as a medium of confrontation, not comfort. 'I believe that, in order to work, a piece of art must strike at the system and break convention,' he said. Over time, others echoed, and gradually diluted that grammar in their own productions. Thiyam's visual language, with its epic scale, ritual intensity, chanting chorus, and slow stylised gestures became the default setting for Indian theatre at festivals and in state-funded productions. What had once signalled radical decolonisation began to mirror establishment cultural displays. Many mistook his style for spectacle, missing the deeper provocations embedded in his form. Although Thiyam's theatre was often seen as less overtly political than that of his contemporary Heisnam Kanhailal, the difference lay in form and method. Thiyam chose spiritual gravitas and formal rigor over direct protest. His many institutional honours — the Padma Shri in 1989, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2012 — did not blunt his dissent. In 2023, when Manipur was engulfed in ethnic violence, he refused to stay silent. Nominated without consent to the Centre's symbolic peace panel, he resigned in protest, demanded real action, and sharply asked, 'Are we a part of India?' Thiyam held two key leadership roles at the National School of Drama. His first, as Director in 1987–88, ended prematurely amid student unrest and institutional challenges, despite his emphasis on rigour and discipline. He returned as Chairperson from 2013 to 2017. During this tenure, he critiqued the overuse of technology in performance and strongly defended indigenous theatre practices. His departure in 2017 marked the end of a tenure that underscored the friction between his singular aesthetic and a shifting theatre landscape. While the impact of Thiyam's absence will echo across the theatre world for some time, the structure he built endures. Chorus Repertory will continue, with his son Thawai and members of the ensemble carrying the work forward, as they have been doing for years. The writer is a theatre practitioner and stage commentator
Scroll.in
17 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Ratan Thiyam, theatre personality from Manipur and Padma Shri awardee, dies at 77
Ratan Thiyam, renowned theatre personality from Manipur and a Padma Shri awardee, died in Imphal on Wednesday. He was 77. Thiyam was known for writing and staging plays that blended traditional Manipuri art forms with modern influences. He was the founder of the Imphal-based Chorus Repertory Theatre and served as the director of the National School of Drama between 1987 and 1988. He also served as the vice-chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Thiyam was awarded the Padma Shri in 1989. The Manipur government described Thiyam a 'towering figure in Indian theatre and a cultural icon of Manipur', PTI reported. 'We join the artistic fraternity and the nation in remembering his extraordinary legacy,' the news agency quoted the state government as saying. 'Heartfelt condolences to his family, disciples and admirers around the world.' Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that Thiyam was a 'true luminary of Indian theatre' and an 'esteemed son' of the state. 'His unwavering dedication to his craft, his vision, and his love for Manipuri culture enriched not only the world of theatre but also our very identity,' the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said on X. 'His work carried the soul of Manipur, echoing its stories, its struggles, and its beauty.' It is with deep sorrow that I express my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Shri Ratan Thiyam, a true luminary of Indian theatre and an esteemed son of Manipur. His unwavering dedication to his craft, his vision, and his love for Manipuri culture enriched not only the world… — N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) July 23, 2025 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences to Thiyam's family and said that he was an 'icon of Manipuri Theatre and a true legend who put Manipuri theatre on the global map'. In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress chief said that 'his unique blend of tradition and experiment enriched Indian performing arts immensely and resonated worldwide'. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called Thiyam 'a leading light of the Theatre for Roots movement'. The BJP leader said that the playwright dedicated his life to bringing indigenous theatre and art practices to the global stage. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Thiyam was one of India's greatest cultural figures. Describing him as a man of 'strong political convictions', Ramesh said that Thiyam was 'anchored in the finest of liberal, pluralistic, and secular Indian traditions. He was bold and fearless till the very end, agonising over the fate that had befallen his lovely state'. The Congress leader was referring to the ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities in Manipur that has killed at least 260 persons and displaced more than 59,000 persons since May 2023. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024.
NDTV
21 hours ago
- NDTV
Theatre Doyen Ratan Thiyam Dies At 77 In Manipur After Long Battle With Post-Covid Complications
Ratan Thiyam, an Indian playwright and former National School of Drama director, died on early Wednesday morning at around 1.30 am at RIMS Hospital in Imphal, Manipur, after a prolonged battle with post-COVID health complications. He was 77. The renowned Manipuri playwright and director was one of the towering figures of the Indian theatre circuit. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987 and was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour in the country, in 1989. A pioneer of the "theatre of roots" movement, Ratan Thiyam's masterpieces such as Chakravyuha and Uttar Priyadarshi masterfully blended ancient Indian traditions with modern narratives, earning global acclaim. Ratan Thiyam also served as head of the National School of Drama before focusing on his own theatre, the Chorus Repertory Theatre, founded in 1976, transforming Manipur into a cultural hub. His socially and politically charged plays reflected the rich Manipur's cultural heritage, captivating audiences worldwide with this grand visual style. In 2024, Manipur honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh led the tributes for Ratan Thiyam, calling him "a revered son of Manipur" "It is with deep sorrow that I express my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Shri Ratan Thiyam, a true luminary of Indian theatre and an esteemed son of Manipur. His unwavering dedication to his craft, his vision, and his love for Manipuri culture enriched not only the world of theatre but also our very identity. His work carried the soul of Manipur, echoing its stories, its struggles, and its beauty. It is with deep sorrow that I express my heartfelt condolences on the passing of Shri Ratan Thiyam, a true luminary of Indian theatre and an esteemed son of Manipur. His unwavering dedication to his craft, his vision, and his love for Manipuri culture enriched not only the world… — N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) July 23, 2025 "May his soul rest in peace and his spirit continue to live on in the works he leaves behind and in the countless lives he inspired. May we all find strength in remembering his immense contributions to our cultural landscape," the Chief Minister wrote in an X post alongside an old photo with Ratan Thiyam. To allow relatives, friends, and fans to pay their last respects to Ratan Thiyam, a floral tribute has been arranged at the Chorus Repertory Theatre in Imphal, following his final rites which will be performed according to Hindu traditions. Ratan Thiyam's death leaves a void in the world of theatre, but his timeless works will ensure that his spirit endures with his legacy continuing to inspire generations.
