Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane’s Sanam Teri Kasam found new life when it was re-released in 2025, surpassing expectations at the box office. The re-release beat its own lifetime collections and is continuing to pull crowds to the theatres, proving that the second chance has been nothing short of a success story. In this exclusive conversation, actor Harshvardhan Rane opened up about the unexpected journey of Sanam Teri Kasam, reflected on the highs and lows of his career, his outsider status in the film industry and how he turned his struggles into a driving force. Excerpts:
There was silence, complete silence and the first big director who called me was Mr. Sajid Khan. He told me that I was like a blank check fallen in the mud and whoever gets it will find my worth. It took me a lot of time to understand that compliment, but I will never forget it because he was the first A-lister director to do so. Then Mr Bejoy Nambiar called me and he offered me a film. I ended up doing Taish and Dange with him. People like me who come from a non-filmy background always remember the smallest incidents of kindness and the smallest interaction of warmth. I can never forget what they have done and I especially want to thank Mr. John Abraham. I was a delivery boy in 2004 and I delivered a helmet to him. He was the first person to show his faith in me. My sister Rohini prayed for me for so many years without results. These people who pray for you without results are actually the key players in your life. My ex-girlfriend Meenakshi Das, who is now my best friend, told me in 2004 that I was meant for this. I can never forget that and the people who fed me on my journey when I didn’t have money to eat when I ran away from my house at 16 and was doing a lot of odd jobs.
But what is wrong with that? If people want to buy a toothpaste they need to see the ad 10 times a day. So when they have to buy a ticket for a film, why shouldn’t they be expecting to see that actor many times in a day? I don’t consider having an added advantage of coming from a film family to be wrong because if they have it what’s wrong with that? Anyways the audience will be the final factor so if you have the exposure why not? I think it’s a good start. In the same breath, I would like to ask people to watch all newcomers who are coming out with romantic films so that they don’t have to face what I faced.
After losing a match there is always silence in the dressing room and people do not talk to each other much. It is nobody’s fault but just the silence is something which I can connect with. That’s what I felt. I take the blame for losing touch with the team – the directors, the producers, the actors, the crew- I lost touch with everyone.
I wouldn’t say that is the best solution. I would say it was my fault. I did not know how else to process it. That was my way of dealing with it. But after 9 years I stood outside the producer’s office and started calling him down. A lot of people who care about me and my career advised me not to do something like that because that act is very unlike an actor. It might not be good for your image. Thankfully I am not from a film family so I don’t have to follow a blueprint.
I would never do a podcast for sure. I have seen a lot of actors do podcasts but their films don’t sell any tickets. So my mind concludes that a podcast doesn’t equal the sale of tickets so then how do I get myself to do it? Talking of roles that I want to do, I am focusing on being a profitable actor. That’s the only role I am focused on. The only role I want to achieve is the role of a profitable actor for producers.