In the dazzling world of Bollywood, there have been some stars who shone for some time because of their parents but after some time they got lost somewhere. One of them is the name of Puru Raj Kumar.
Puru Rajkumar (55 Years), the son of 80’s superstar Rajkumar, entered the film industry because of his father but could not earn a name and fame like his father.
From his childhood to his dazzling journey and then to his life of anonymity, we will reveal the hidden reason behind it.
Puru Rajkumar’s Childhood & Education:
Rajkumar has two sons and a daughter who tried in films but none of them could survive. Rajkumar’s elder son is Puru Rajkumar, who you might have seen in his films “BalBramhachari” and “Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai”.
He was born on March 30, 1970 in Bombay (India). He completed his schooling from a private school in Mumbai. He didn’t have much interest in his studies.
Puru Rajkumar was a spoiled child from the very beginning who used to do whatever he wanted due to excessive pampering. Since his teenage years, he was associated with high-profile people and he often used to drink in late-night parties.
Before entering films, once during a late-night party, he ran his car over people in an intoxicated state. In which some people died.
Puru pursued his education, by attending Gettysburg College in the United States. There, he broadened his horizons, studying subjects like economics, psychology, and perhaps most importantly, theatre. This well-rounded education, combined with his inherent talent, equipped him with the tools necessary to navigate the demanding world of Bollywood.
Bollywood Career: From Debut to Disappearance
It was in his mind from the very beginning that he was Rajkumar’s son and he would easily get work in films. But in 1993 at the age of 23 years, an incident happened which left a black spot in his career. Which was equivalent to Salman Khan’s hit-and-run case.
Now talk about his debut movie “BalBrahmachari”.
Bal Brahmachari (1996) – A Star Kid’s Grand Entry
His debut was with the story “Bal Brahmachari” written by well-known director Prakash Mehra. who has also directed and produced this film. The heroine of this film was Karisma Kapoor, who was very much in discussion in those days.
Although this film was nothing special still there was a lot of excitement among the people because Rajkumar’s son was debuting in it and people wanted to see him. The film, made at a cost of Rs 2 crore, earned Rs 3.50 crore at the box office.
In this film, Puru Rajkumar played the role of a celibate, although people criticized his acting a lot and said that he did not have any hero qualities. Many critics wrote that there were no expressions on his face while he was acting.
Struggles After a Flop Debut: Limited Opportunities
After their very first film flopped, producers stopped giving them work. As a result, it took them four years to get their second film, in which they were cast in a negative role. But what could they do? Due to a lack of work, they had to take that role.
1. Negative roles in “Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai” (2000)
After his acting and expressions received so much criticism, he had to leave many of the movies he had signed. Four years after his debut, he appeared as a villain in the movie “Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai” in 2000.
The film was average at the box office and his work in the negative role also did not show anything special.
Even in his second film, he could not get much appreciation due to which some of the films in which he was playing the lead role were also stopped midway.
2. Small roles in Mission Kashmir, Khatron Ke Khiladi
After this, he was seen in many low-budget films and multi-starrer films like “Khatron Ke Khiladi”, and “Mission Kashmir” in supporting roles.
3. His last film was Action Jackson (2014).
They got their last film “Action Jackson” after a gap of 12 years, which was released in 2014. However, it failed to leave any impression on the hearts of fans, which ultimately forced them to say goodbye to Bollywood.
Reasons Behind His Anonymity
Well, According to industry insiders, he was arrogant from the beginning due to which he made a big mistake even before his debut. What was this mistake we will cover it and other reasons too which made his acting career ruined.
1. Hit & Run Case (1993) – PuruRajKumar’s Career Destroying Incident
In 1993, during a late party in the summer of 1993, in an intoxicated state, he ran his Ferrari over people sleeping on the footpath. In which about three people died and some people were injured.
Like Salman Khan’s case, he was also found guilty of a hit-and-run case. But due to the reach of his father Rajkumar, he soon got relief from this case.
He was acquitted by the court by paying a fine of only ₹ 50000 to the family of the deceased. Perhaps his film career went down due to the curses of those people.
2. Rajkumar’s Death (2 Month Before His Debut Film Release)
The biggest reason for his failure was the death of his father Rajkumar, 2 months before his debut film. Due to this now the burden of responsibility of his family has fallen on his shoulders.
If Rajkumar had been alive, he would have had more opportunities in the film industry. And he could also work on his acting skills which was not possible.
3. Lack Of Acting Skills & Facial Expressions
In fact, the biggest reason for his flop was the lack of any expression on his face. He used to just speak any dialogue in front of the camera but there was a lot of lack of expression on his face.
And where he learned acting, it was also for a nominal amount because he felt that he was Raj Kumar’s son and everything would be easy for him. People will also love him like their father. But his thinking proved wrong.
Where Is Puru Rajkumar Now? His Life After Bollywood
Puru Raaj Kumar’s journey in Bollywood is a fascinating one, marked by both initial promise and a subsequent retreat. Born into a cinematic legacy, he entered the industry with much fanfare. While he showed glimpses of talent and charisma, his film choices or other factors ultimately led him away from the mainstream.
Today, Puru Raaj Kumar remains a somewhat enigmatic figure. Did the weight of expectation prove too much? Did he simply choose a different path? These are questions that linger, leaving his legacy as a rising star who faded from view all the more intriguing.
