Actor who worked with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR says his 'life went into gutter' after Bollywood debut

Actor Ronit Roy, who has shared screen space with Bollywood stars like Hrithik Roshan and Telugu superstar Jr NTR, recently opened up about his struggles after his Bollywood debut. Despite beginning his career with a commercially successful film, the actor found himself without work, battling alcoholism and financial struggles, which led him to start a security agency.

Bollywood Debut That Led to Disappointment
Ronit Roy made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with Jaan Tere Naam, which became a silver jubilee hit. However, despite the film’s success, his career took an unexpected turn. In a conversation with Podcast Redcarpet, he revealed, "Every great step that I have taken in my life has come out of desperation, frustration, and poverty. There was a time when my debut film was a silver jubilee, and after that, I didn’t get any work. I have no idea why. I got frustrated. Silver Jubilee in today’s time is equal to delivering a Rs 100 to 150 crore film. How can you deliver a film like that and still not get work? I got no work. I got so scared. I had rent to pay, had to feed myself. What would you do without money?"

Faced with financial difficulties, Ronit took on roles in films that did not perform well at the box office. "So I kind of signed the wrong films, which flopped. I went back to square one and had no work," he shared.

As work dried up, Ronit found himself turning to alcohol. "My alcoholism started out of that frustration. After that, everything went south. My life went into gutter," he admitted. The actor recalled how even during his lowest phase, he always had access to alcohol. "Somehow the alcohol would come. I cannot think where the alcohol came from. I would wake up at noon and then have a hangover, it only made things worse. I was written off by the industry, they said he is finished."

Turning to a New Profession for Survival
At a time when Bollywood had seemingly shut its doors on him, a friend gave Ronit a much-needed opportunity. "My friend said that though I am not getting any acting job, my name and face still hold value. He had a security agency, I used to go to his office to get trained, and that’s where it started from. It was a result of desperation."

Ronit Roy eventually founded a security agency that now provides protection to many top Bollywood celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Saif Ali Khan. The shift was not a choice but a necessity, as he explained, "People wrote, ‘I made a shift to television,’ but it was not a shift, it was just a matter of survival."

The Road to Redemption
After struggling in films, Ronit found his calling in television. Shows like Kasautii Zindagii Kay and Bandini helped him rebuild his career, making him one of the highest-paid television actors. "The alcohol stopped. Attention, and discipline returned. Roles worked," he reflected.

With his television success, Bollywood once again welcomed him. He played supporting roles in films like Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil, Student of the Year, Shootout at Wadala, 2 States, and Ugly. He also ventured into Telugu cinema, working alongside Jr NTR in Jai Lava Kusa.

Today, Ronit Roy is not only a respected actor but also a successful entrepreneur.