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This story of one of Bollywood’s most resilient actors is nothing short of cinematic. Once a teenager who left home with just Rs 200 and worked as a waiter earning Rs 10 a day, he now headlines box office hits that are closing in on the Rs 100 crore mark. His remarkable journey from hostels and odd jobs to the silver screen stands as a reminder of what sheer determination and patience can build. We’re talking about Harshwardhan Rane. Born in Rajamahendravam, Andhra Pradesh, to a Telugu mother and a Marathi father, the actor was raised in Gwalior, where his father practised medicine. However, unlike his father, he had no interest in pursuing a conventional career. At just 16, he ran away from home to chase his dream of becoming an actor. With no roadmap and little money, Rane made his way to New Delhi, where he began taking up small jobs for survival. In a conversation with Hollywood Reporter, Harshwardhan recalled the difficult early years when even basic amenities were hard to come by. “I started working as a waiter in a hostel mess. I also got a job to maintain a register at an STD booth for Rs 10 per day. Then the same work at a cafe for Rs 20 per day. The first struggle was to find a meal and a steady Rs 10 income, then the struggle was to find a washroom. The soap would have someone else’s hair stuck on it. Then the struggle was to find a deodorant because I would sleep with four or five hardworking men who worked in the kitchen, and there was an odour issue. I remember when I first started earning, I got a perfume and had a shake at McDonald’s.” After spending several years hustling in Delhi, Harshwardhan Rane eventually moved to Mumbai, determined to find a place in the film industry. His first break came with the television show Left Right Left, marking the beginning of his acting career nearly eight years after leaving home. Soon after, he transitioned to films, making his debut in Thakita Thakita. His next release, Naa Ishtam, co-starring Rana Daggubati and Genelia Deshmukh, gained him wider visibility and opened the doors to more projects. By 2016, Harshwardhan had made his Bollywood debut with Sanam Teri Kasam. While the film didn’t set the box office ablaze initially, it later found a devoted audience and was even re-released years later, earning Rs 53 crore globally. Beyond his acting career, Harshwardhan Rane has shown consistent dedication to social causes. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he sold his motorcycle to raise funds for oxygen concentrators, writing, “Giving my motorcycle away in exchange for a few oxygen concentrators which we together can provide to people in need combatting covid. Please help me find good oxygen concentrators in Hyderabad.” Harshwardhan Rane’s philanthropic initiative, the ShirtOff challenge, reflects his personal approach to giving back. Since 2015, he has been selling shirts worn in his films to support the education of a girl named Swati. Speaking to Deccan Herald about the project, he explained, “It’s called so because I was giving my shirts away and turning them into notebooks, in a way. I was thinking of a way to secure a girl child’s education. People used to call me for donations, and I couldn’t relate to that because I have spent most of my life trying to support myself. Earlier I thought that I’d make furniture and give it to orphanages, but that wasn’t a practical thought. Then I thought I would give away clothes, but that wouldn’t help much either. That’s when I thought of a garage sale, the proceeds of which go towards Swati’s education.” Currently, Harshwardhan Rane is riding high on the success of his recent release Ek Deewani Ki Deewaniyat, which hit theatres on October 21. Directed by Milap Zaveri and co-starring Sonam Bajwa, Shaad Randhawa, and Sachin Khedekar, the film has already grossed Rs 59 crore.
