Amrita Rao opens up about Bollywood politics: “The world is always trying to pull you down”

When Amrita Rao and Shahid Kapoor made their Bollywood debut in 2003 with ‘Ishq Vishk’, no one expected just how quickly the young duo would capture hearts. The film became an instant hit. And, both actors were suddenly the talk of the town. Awards followed. But for Amrita, the glamour of this early success came with a tough dose of ‘reality check’.

Speaking on ‘The Ranveer Show’, Amrita recalled an incident that left her stunned. She described a photoshoot arranged for a magazine cover to celebrate their awards.

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“I was seated with the award, Shahid was standing behind me. And, we were flanked by two superstar actresses. There was also a very famous actor and actress in the layout. We were thrilled. It was supposed to be my first big magazine cover!” she said.

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But the excitement soon turned to disappointment. When the magazine hit the stands, Amrita found herself pushed into the background. “Everything was photoshopped. I had moved to the back, and someone else was in the foreground. That wasn’t the cover I had imagined at all!” she shared.

 

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It was a harsh introduction to Bollywood politics, something Amrita Rao says is unavoidable in any competitive environment. “I used to feel really bad and wonder, why me? But now, I realize politics is everywhere. Schools, colleges, even society meetings! You have to train yourself to handle it,” she reflected. “The world out there is always trying to pull you down. And you have to be ready for it.”

Despite these early setbacks, Amrita’s career flourished. After ‘Ishq Vishk’, she appeared in a string of hits, including Farah Khan’s ‘Main Hoon Na’ (2004), Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Vivah’ (2006), and Subhash Kapoor’s courtroom comedy ‘Jolly LLB’ (2013).

This month, she returned to the ‘Jolly LLB’ franchise, reprising her role alongside Arshad Warsi in ‘Jolly LLB 3’.