Telly heartthrobs’ soapy ride to success

Stardom they say never comes easy. Some of telly’s biggest names got noticed even in multi-starrer soaps, made heads turn, hearts beat faster, found celebdom and became icons. Here’s taking a soapy rewind route of how it all began for them...
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Pulkit Samrat as Lakshya, the adorable boy next door won lots of hearts, until his infamous fallout with Ekta Kapoor ended his TV career, but took him to Bollywood.
Mass com student from Delhi, Mouni Roy made an impressive debut as KT (Krishna Tulsi). As stardom came calling, Mouni went on to do many soaps and reality shows and was a finalist of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7.
Hussain Kuwajerwala as Chirag Virani was affable devar, bhaiyya and adarsh beta all rolled into one, an image that helped in his future stints (Kumkum... Pyaara Sa Bandhan) and other hosting acts.
Karishma Tanna as the funloving Indu was a breath of fresh air amid all the high drama. The long legged lass went on to do Kannada films, a cameo in Grand Masti and is now part of Bigg Boss 8.
Chandni Bhagwanani’s career began with this show as the cutesy Saavri. Despite the heavy duty star cast, Chandni as a child artist, grabbed attention with her natural acting skills, followed it up as a lead in a daily soap, Amita Ka Amit and a youth show.
A flop film career in Bollywood almost put an end to his tinsel dreams, until Ekta Kapoor roped in Ronit Bose Roy as Mr Rishabh Bajaj in KZK The minute Ronit walked into the frame of the K-show as the dapper biz tycoon, what was meant as a short cameo turned into a full-blown lead role and launched his career as one of the highest paid actors of TV.
Shweta Tiwari as Prerna was the ideal bahu every mom wanted. Although she played mom to actors her age, her chemistry with Ronit Roy and Cezanne Khan got her lots of eyeballs. She went on to do reality shows, stand-up comedy, soaps and Bhojpuri films.
Karanvir Bohra made his debut long before he bagged the role of the bad beta Prem in Kasautii.... But, this character was a game changer for Karanvir then known as Manoj Vora. His bad boy image stuck to him through his stint in Dil Se Di Dua, Saubhagyavati Bhavo? and Qubool Hai.
Jennifer Winget as the cute Sneha Bajaj won audiences and followed her act with Ganga, Dill Mill Gayye and Saraswati Chandra. She has a strong fan-base in spite of taking up projects at her own pace.
Krystle D’souza’s innocent face didn’t match up to her manipulative rich girl roleplay as the hero’s sister Veera, but she got noticed alright. And went to the good beti/bahu in Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai and Ek Nayi Pehchan.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s launchpad as the charming Preet Juneja made her Ekta Kapoor’s favourite winning him a lead role in Pavitra Rishta. SSR took the big B-Town splash with Kai Po Che in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since.
Barodian Avinash Sachdev got noticed in his debut show, where he played a double role, as a golddigger and a mentally challenged man. Avinash is now a face to reckon with on TV.
Chandigarh lass Gurbani Judge better known as Bani set out to be a DJ, but her stint in the reality show, Roadies 4 gave her instant fame. Now a VJ on a youth channel, Bani has since hosted lots of reality shows.
Delhi dude Shaleen Malhotra’s trek to showbiz started off as a contestant of Roadies 4. He entertained the audience with his charm in the crime thriller Arjun and is playing the lead in a youth show.
Shabbir Ahluwalia’s bad boy image has been his USP in every roleplay, but he started it off when he played Rishi Grewal, the heartless playboy in KTH, his debut telly outing that established him as a TV star, took him to Bollywood, made him do reality TV and soaps.
As the self-respecting Kashish, Aamna Sharif’s fab screen chemistry with Rajeev Khandelwal set the screens on fire in KTH. An aborted stint in Bollywood later, Aamna did a soap that wrapped up recently and has just done a cameo in the recently released Ek Villian.
Chandigarh beauty Surveen Chawla might have made her TV debut in Kasauti Zindagi Kay, but it was as the wilful and spunky Charu of Kahin Toh Hoga, that Surveen really got noticed, ending up doing another TV soap before quitting small screen for Punjabi and Telugu movies. Surveen made her Bollywood debut with Hate Story 2 this year, a BO success.
Rajeev Khandelwal was one of the first TV heartthrobs. As the dashing Sujal Grewal in KTH, he made nubile hearts go dhak-dhak. Even in his subsequent outings in soaps, reality TV and Bollywood, Rajeev found his share of acclodes and fan base.
Ayaz Ahmed, an RJ from Kolkata went on to make it big on television with his stint in Roadies 5. The show made him bag a role in Kitani Mohabbat Hai followed by a lead role in the just concluded Do Dil Ek Jaan. Now Ayaz is playing the lead in Yaarian.
A small cameo in the Aamir-Kajol starrer Fanaah was followed by her roleplay as Cadet Sameera. Sanaya Irani won hearts in her telly debut and rode to stardom with Miley Jab Hum Tum, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon and Rang Rasiya.
Arjun Bijlani shone as Cadet Aalekh and made sure that he got noticed even amid a host of stars that the show’s credit line boasted of. AB’s since done Miley Jab Hum Tum, a cookery show, episodics...
A cameo in Remix might have got him a role in Left Right Left, but it was Kunal Karan Kapoor’s role of Cadet Yudi that gave him his big ticket to telly stardom His last outing Naa Boley Tum Naa Maine Kuch Kahaa was also appreciated.
Harshad Chopda as Cadet Ali charmed audiences with his acting chops and made sure that his starry rise continued with his subsequent stints in Tere Liye, Dil Se Di Dua...Saubhagyavati Bhav? and the ongoing Humsafars.
Himachal’s Vishal Karwal, the dimpled hottie did Roadies 4 but it was his stint in the reality show Splitsvilla 1 that really made people notice of him. Vishal has since played leads in Bhagya Vidhaata, Dwarkadheesh, done Bigg Boss and is now doing Punjabi films.
Shweta Gulati as Tia was a girl all guys would dream of! Her powerful performances and hot chemistry with co-star Karan Wahi made her television’s surprise star. A slew of soaps later, Shweta’s now doing a musical.
Karan Wahi was all of 18 when he made waves on television as Ranveer Sisodia in the bubblegum youth show. A football champ, Karan’s amazing screen vibes with co-star Shweta Gulati made his show a super success with youngsters and earned him a career in television soaps and reality TV. Now, Karan’s set to woo fans in his Bollywood outings.
A lead role in Shraddha didn’t earn Barun Sobti much notice but his negative outing as Raj Singh in DMG, got him adequate attention. Barun went on to do lead roles in Baat Hamari Pakki Hai and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, became TV’s superstar overnight with a huge fan following and is now set for a B-Town outing in 2015.
After a stint in Telugu films, Shilpa Anand rose to stardom as Dr Riddhima. Her screen jodi with KSG made her an instant success. Currently she’s wrapping up a Bollywood film where she’s the female lead.
A curly haired Drashti Dhami wooed fans as the bubbly Dr Muskaan with her dimpled smile and screen presence. Her ride to fame continued with Geet...Hui Sabse Parayi, Madhubala...Ek Ishq Ek Junoon and a winning stint in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6.
Karan Singh Grover’s debut in Kitani Mast Hai Life was interesting, but his real claim to stardom came as Dr Armaan Malik in DMG. Karan’s sizzling screen chemistry with Shilpa Anand took the show to new highs and made him a heartthrob. He’s done his share of reality shows, a stint in Qubool Hai and is trying his luck in Bollywood, second time around.
Nikita Sharma who participated in the show managed to grab attention and bagged the lead role in Do Dil Ek Jaan, followed by Fanaah and Yeh Hai Aashiqui.
Roshni Chopra was indeed part of many shows but her career took a starry launch as her role Pia in the show made her a star overnight. Since then, there’s been no looking back for this actress.
A teenage Vivian Dsena who’d just won a male beauty pagent got noticed as Vicky, the most adored beta and his career took a northwards turn when he bagged the role of Abhay Raichand in Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani. His turn in Madhubala Ek Ishq Ek Junoon as RK, has made him the most sought after telly actors of his time.
A Surat teenager, Prachi Desai as the principled adarsh sister/wife Bani became a household name overnight. When Prachi opted out of the show because she didn’t want to play mom post a generation leap, she followed it by winning Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa that got her Abhishek Kapoor’s Rock On..!! and made her TV’s most successful import to Bollywood.
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