Ever wonder why you haven’t seen some of your favourite actors who once hit headlines daily? Whether it was a short hiatus from the industry or a permanent adieu, there’s some reason these celebs have stepped away from the limelight.
Here are 13 popular film celebrities who were once the beating heart of the industry but now they seem obscured.
1. Harman Baweja
Harman Baweja made his Bollywood debut in Love Story 2050 alongside Priyanka Chopra in 2008. But we haven’t seen much of him on the big screen recently due to a string of duds. Films like Victory, What’s Your Raashee?, Dishkiyaaoon, and It’s My Life did make him a known face in the industry but couldn’t make him gain prominence on the silver screen.
2. Fardeen Khan
Fans witnessed Fardeen in quite some good movies like Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, All The Best – Fun Begins and Heyy Babyy. He had also received Filmfare Best Debut Award for Prem Aggan in 1998. However, he didn’t thrive in the industry and his last film was Dulha Mil Gaya (2010) opposite Sushmita Sen and Ishita Sharma. But here’s good news for his admirers, his upcoming film Visfot is to be announced soon!
3. Zayed Khan
Zayed Khan, the actor Sanjay Khan’s son, made his acting debut in 2003’s Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne. He also did a part alongside Shahrukh Khan and Sushmita Sen in Farah Khan’s Main Hoon Na (2004). Even with his extensive filmography, he is mainly known for the song “mohabbat hai mirchi” and his Main Hoon Na ‘sabki nahi hoti Laxman’ meme. In 2015, he was last seen in Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene.
4. Rahul Roy
Rahul Roy made a number of films after making his big-screen debut in Aashiqui in 1990, yet he was unable to make an impact in Bollywood. His appearance in the 2007 season of the TV reality show Bigg Boss is what most people remember him for, except Aashiqui.
5. Ashmit Patel
Ashmit Patel began his acting career with the 2003 film Inteha, but it wasn’t until the 2004 film Murder that he received any acting recognition. Toss, Dil Diya Hai, and Fight Club – Members Only, to mention a few, signalled his departure from Bollywood.
6. Vatsal Sheth
After Taarzan: The Wonder Car, his debut film, he appeared in a number of other films but failed to break out. His final appearance was on the tv show Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke. In cameo roles, he was also seen in Malang and The Girl On The Train.
7. Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba has a successful career in the 2000s, growing her fan base with the cult classic Dark Angel and taking on the role of one of the Fantastic Four franchise’s faces. She made it clear in 2017 that she wouldn’t get back into the film industry until she had a control over the project. In addition to being a mother, Alba serves as CEO of The Honest Company, which we assume keeps her busy.
8. Frankie Muniz
Due to his roles in Malcolm in the Middle, My Dog Skip, Big Fat Liar, and Agent Cody Banks, Muniz became well-known in the 1990s and 2000s. Muniz made the decision to leave the spotlight once Malcolm in the Middle ended in order to pursue a career as a racing car driver.
9. Tobey Maguire
Before becoming every 2000s kid’s Spider-Man, he appeared in The Ice Storm, Deconstructing Harry, and Pleasantville. He has recently appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home delivering some whistle-worthy scenes alongside Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield.
11. Meg Ryan
Meg rose to fame after appearing in movies including You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle. Ryan attempted to venture outside of romantic comedies, but there was an immediate backlash. Ryan took a step back to look for a different profession. She made her directing debut in 2015 with the movie Ithica.
12. Tara Reid
Reid was typecast as the sensationalised high school blonde bombshell after American Pie before her career took a nasty turn. In the ridiculous made-for-television film Sharknado, Reid made a comeback in 2013, accepting the bad acting part of April Wexler and returning for five more sequels!
13. Imran Khan
Imran became the heartbeat of every popular rom-com thanks to the films Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, I Hate Love Stories, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, Luck, and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. 2015’s Katti Batti was Imran’s most recent film. Since then, the actor has avoided Bollywood for over many years, and fans seldom ever get to see him since he has given up social media.
On a scale of 1-10, how much do you miss your favourites?