Ideally in our movie industry it’s a straight case of out of sight out of mind, we’ve had several big and not so big stars who took a break (sometimes on their own or otherwise due to some unavoidable circumstance) and couldn’t comeback successfully, they were outright rejected by the audience. Times change, the audience taste differs and sometimes it’s just sheer luck. Looking at some stars who were on a sabbatical and made successful comebacks.
VINOD KHANNA: a major star of the 70s who quit Bollywood at his peak period in 1979, when he was pitted against the reigning superstar Amitabh. Khanna gave it all up for sanyas. Highly influenced by the teachings of spiritual guru Osho Rajneesh, Khanna sacrificed his family and acting career to follow the sambhog se sanyas tak path at Osho ashram. Six years later spiritually uplifted and full of ambition Khanna quit the ashram and made a bombastic comeback to Bollywood at 41 with the box office hit Insaaf(1987), followed by Satyamev Jayate(1987), and continued playing lead roles till 1997. A Classic case where the audience hadn’t forgotten a star of the past decade.
AMITABH BACHCHAN: anti Bachchan troupe would be quick to retort that Bachchan failed in his comeback vehicle Mrityudata(1997) but didn’t ge reinvent himself with Mohabbatein (2000) and Kaun Banega Crorepati(2000)? One of the greatest superstars from 1974-1992 he resigned from the numero uno position in 1992 and declared retirement at 50, in 1996 he announced a comeback and the audience looked forward to their mega star returning to the arch lights. He was rejected romancing and shaking hips with as good as his daughter Manisha Koirala in Lal Badshah(1999) and several other trashy fare. Reinventing himself and channelising towards appropriate roles he made a super successful comeback in 2000 and since then has been the busiest and most in demand senior actor of his generation till date almost two decades and still going strong.
DIMPLE: at the tender age of 16 she became the darling of the nation with the blockbuster Bobby(1973), while many predicted she would dethrone the reigning stars she had other plans, she settled for matrimony and motherhood. Eleven years and a tumultuous domestic life later she walked out of Rajesh Khanna’s life and embarked on a difficult but not impossible ambition of making a comeback. At 28 and a mother of two she ignited the screen with her voluptuous personality in Saagar(1985), she was warmly welcomed by the audience who were enthralled by her sex appeal and acting histrionics. Dimple had a dream run in movies and played lead roles till 2002 and still active in the field and has spread wings to international cinema and web-series as well.
RAVEENA TANDON: known for her ravishing appeal and gorgeous looks she was acknowledged as a top billed star by 1994 with multiple hits including the blockbuster Mohra(1994), by the end of 1994 she gave up a flourishing career and rejected around 15 movies in order to settle into blissful matrimony with a frequent co star. The marriage didn’t happen and a bitter break up later Tandon had to settle into self imposed exile of 10 months, her comeback was an ‘item song’ Sheher ki ladki that became a top chartbuster. With the right choice of movies like Ziddi (1997) she entered back into the rat race and had a successful second innings playing lead roles till 2004.
No doubt there are some more such examples of actors who quit, took a sabbatical only to return years later and embracing success wholeheartedly, but such cases are rare and there seem to be far too many vital factors deciding the outcome of a comeback, that include hard-work, perseverance, popularity, acceptance and luck!
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