Once bigger than Shah Rukh Khan, this star had no work for years, couldn't foot hospital bills; now works in indie films

Billed as the next superstar, this actor's career nosedived after a spate of 13 flops in seven years, followed by many shelved films.

The early 90s were a period of change of guard for Bollywood. The heroes who had ruled in the 80s - Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor - were ageing or past their prime. New stars like Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol had taken over, but an increasingly younger population was on the lookout for soft, romantic stars. Even as the three Khans were still a few years from reaching their peak, other actors were vying to fill the void. Among them was one name who was billed as the next superstar. An overnight sensation, this man vanished almost as quickly as he shot up.

Billed as the next superstar in 1990, this actor's life took an unexpected turn.

The man who was bigger than Shah Rukh Khan

In 1990, even as Dil, Ghayal, and Kishen Kanhaiya topped the Bollywood box office charts, Mahesh Bhatt’s Aashiqui arrived as a breath of fresh air. The film’s music and fresh lead pair became the talk of the town as the unheralded film became a blockbuster. Rahul Roy, who debuted with the film, was an overnight sensation. The film’s success allowed him to sign over a dozen films in a short amount of time. He found more success with Pyaar Ka Saaya the following year and critical acclaim in Junoon in 1992. At this point, the then 26-year-old was considered one of the brightest prospects among the young stars in the industry, ahead of contemporaries like Shah Rukh Khan, who was still looking for a solo hit and Aamir Khan, who was re-establishing his footing after a spate of flops following Dil.

Aashiqui turned a 24-year-old Rahul Roy into an overnight star.

The sudden downfall

But things changed in 1993. The Khans pulled away. All three of them starred in industry-defining hits over the rest of the decade. Rahul Roy, on the other hand, gave 13 consecutive flops from 1993 to 2000. This even included one as a villain (Gumraah starring Sridevi and Sanjay Dutt). But over the past seven years, the actor has starred in two flops and 11 box-office disasters, eroding his goodwill. This led many producers to shelve projects with him, and Rahul found himself out of work in his 30s. His shelved films included Tune Mera Dil Le Liya with Raveena Tandon, Dil Diya Chori Chori with Karishma Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt's Kalyug, Vajra with Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shirodkar, and Jab Jab Dil Mile with Karishma Kapoor and Nagma. He was cast as the male lead in mentor Mahesh Bhatt's Khilona, but it was shelved as well. He eventually moved to television, doing supporting roles in a couple of shows.

In the 2000s, Rahul was out of work for a few years, and even participated in Bigg Boss.

It took him five years to return with Meri Aashiqui in 2005, but a string of box-office failures followed. In 2007, he won the inaugural season of the reality show Bigg Boss, but it did not help his career. In 2010, after half a dozen more flops, health issues led Rahul to temporarily give up acting.

The health setback

In 2020, Rahul, then 54, suffered a brain stroke, following which he was hospitalised. The actor underwent brain and heart angiography, followed by a 6-week ICU stay, which left him with little means to support his medical care. Salman Khan reportedly reached out to him to help him with his medical expenses. “I want to thank Salman because whatever bill was pending, Salman cleared it in February,” Rahul’s soul sister, Hari Maa Priyanka, told Bollywood Hungama in 2020. The actor praised his colleague’s generosity, saying he had been really good to him.

Rahul now appears in indie films such as Agra.

The recovery and comeback

In 2022, after a prolonged recovery period, Rahul Roy returned to the big screen, but this time in supporting roles. In recent years, Rahul has appeared in festival-favourite films such as Kanu Behl’s Agra and Nitin Kumar Gupta’s Walk. The actor continues to live in Mumbai.