Many film actors in Bollywood started as junior artists before they achieved fame as leading actors. Their exposure to the camera helped them hone the skills and helped these actors to transit from minor roles to massive fame and stardom. Some of the most successful examples who actually started their journey as a junior artist and some also as child artist who rose to fame in Bollywood film industry.
These artists had an early exposure in the film industry at the start of their career with smaller roles , or as supporting actors paved its way for a successful career in the film industry. Few of them began their career as child artists and few who started as junior artists.
Actors who transitioned from Child Artist to Junior Artists
Neetu Singh
Entered the film industry with an uncredited role of a child artist in the 1966 film Suraj starring along with Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar. Followed by Dus Lakh in 1966 and the popular film Do Kaliyaan in dual role alongside of Biswajeet and Mala Sinha in 1968. She also did junior roles in Waris in 1969 and in Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani in 1970. In 1973 Neetu Singh did her debut in lead role opposite Randhir Kapoor in Rickshawala.
Shah Rukh Khan
Career in the entertainment industry began with television in 1989 before he had his transitioned into films in 1992.
His debut in the television was in 1989 was with the series Fauji where he played the lead role of the young army recruit Abhimanyu Rai. Followed by television serial Circus which aired from 1989 to 1990. He had a small role in the popular television series, Wagle Ki Duniya after which he did his official debut in the 1992 on the Silver Screen in Deewana, starring alongside Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharti. The film went on to be a major commercial hit and earned him his first Filmfare Award for the Best Male Debut. With this breakthrough, Shah Rukh Khan has never looked back and went on to be the lead star in all the films that followed and today he is one of the biggest superstars of Bollywood.
Shahid Kapoor
Had first appeared as a background dancer in the film Dil To Pagal Hai and also in Taal wherein he was a background dancer for the song, Kahin Aag Lage Lag Jaaye. He then made his Bollywood debut in 2003 with the romantic comedy Ishq Vishk alongside Amrita Rao and Shenaz Treasurywala.
Deepika Padukone
Prior to her debut in Om Shanti Om, she had appeared as a background model in the iconic music video, Naam Hai Tera directed and sung by Himesh Reshammiya. The song became a massive hit from his debut album Aap Kaa Suroor. From there on she was spotted by Farah Khan for Om Shanti Om and thereafter became the leading actress of Bollywood and one of the most sought-after actresses of today.
Varun Dhawan
Started his career in Bollywood as an Assistant director to Karan Johar for the film My Name Is Khan in 2010 and made his acting debut in 2012 with Karan Johar’s coming of age teen drama Student of the Year.
Sidharth Malhotra
Started as an assistant director to Karan Johar for Dharma Productions and assisted during the making of My Name Is Khan released in 2010. He went to become a star with his debut in Johar’s teen drama, Student of Year in 2012 alongside of newcomers then, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
Alia Bhatt
Made her screen appearance as a child artist in 1999 followed by Sangharsh as the younger version of Preity Zinta’s character. She debuted as a lead star in Student of the Year in 2012 and went on to be one of the most famous actresses of Hindi films.
Shreyas Talpade
Began his career in Marathi soap operas and on stage shows. His talent and dedication caught the eye of the filmmakers led him to his debut in Bollywood. He had a small uncredited role as a tea seller in the 2002 film Aankhen before he got a big break in the critically acclaimed film ‘Iqbal’ in 2005.
Mithun Chakraborty
Made his acting debut with art films, Mrigayaa in 1976 which won him his First National Film Award for Best Actor. His major breakthrough came with Bengali film followed his brief role in Dulal Guha’s hit thriller film Do Anjane with Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha and Prem Chopra in the lead.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Struggled for years, doing small roles and often was unnoticed. He had a minor role in Sarfarosh in 1999 and a tole in the Bypass in 2003. He rose to fame with Kahaani and later had a pivotal role with Salman Khan in the film, ‘ Bajarangi Bhaijaan in 2015.
Irrfan Khan
Made his debut with a small role in Salaam Bombay in 1988 followed by years of struggle to find a foothold in the film industry. He acted in few with the Film and Television Institute of India in their student films such as Reconnaissance in 1990. Piku in 2015 in which he had a prominent role as the driver in the comedy drama film alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Moushmi Chatterjee, directed by Sandeep Chattopadhyay. Though it was a supporting role, his presence made the narrative very impressive.
Hrithik Roshan
Before debut, the blockbuster Kaho Naa…. Pyaar Hai in 2000 appeared as child actor in films like Aap Ke Deewane in 1980 and Bhagwan Dada in 1986. For him he was not just a new actor on the block but a true star was born as he won the Best Actor Award in his debut film.
Sridevi
The first female superstar of Hindi cinema, made her debut as a child artist in the Tamil film Kandhan Karunai in 1967 at the age of four. She began with a mythological Tamil film in 1969 and debuted there after as an adult at the age of 13 in a Tamil film. Her career in Bollywood started with Julie as the young sister to the lead actress Laxmi in 1975 followed by her debut as a heroine in Solva Sawan in 1978.
Fatima Sana Shaikh
Started her career as a child artist in the comedy classic film Chachi 420 in 1997 as Kamal Haasan’s little daughter. She gained national fame with her role as the female wrestler in Dangal in 2016, which went on to be the top grossing sports film from where her career took off in Bollywood.
Kunal Kemmu
Was a prominent child artist in the 90’s. He was praised for his performance in the film Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke in 1993 and Zakhm in 1998. He successfully transitioned into a leading actor with his debut film Go Goa Gone and in lootcase.
Urmila Matondkar
Made her debut as a child artist in B R Chopra’s Karm in 1977 followed by Shreeram Lagoo’s Marathi film Zaakol in 1980, Shyam Benegal’s crime drama Kalyug in 1980 and the much acclaimed film by Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom in 1983 there after she became a sensation in Rangeela in 1995 while she did smaller roles in Bhavna in 1984 and Sur Sangam in 1985.
Aamir Khan
Had first appeared as child artist in his uncle Nasir Hussain’s film Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973 . As an adult, his first feature film was in Holi in 1984 and there after he debut with a lead role in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988. He established himself thereafter with many more commercial successful films in films such as Dil in 1990, Rangeela in 1995, Raja Hindustani in 1996 and Sarfarosh in 1999 and many that followed that made him one of the top stars of Bollywood.
Sanjay Dutt
Had made his acting debut as a child actor playing a qawwali singer in Reshma Aur Shera in 1971. He then did his debut in the film Rocky in 1981 , Vidhaata in 1982 which went on to be the highest grossing film, in Main Awara Hoon in 1983 and thereafter he had many more films to his credit as the leading actor of Hindi cinema.
Darsheel Safary
Earned a massive acclaim as a child artist for the film Taare Zameen Par in 2006, as a dyslexic student in Aamir Khan’s directorial. His second film was Bumm Bumm Bole in 2010 and he did few more films like Zokkomon in 2011 and Midnight’s Children in 2012. Thereafter as an adult he did a supporting actor’s role in Yeh Hai Aashiqui in 2016 which had Vikrant Massey and Anita Hassanandani in the lead roles. He did his debut in the 2023 sports drama film Hukus Bukus.
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