New Delhi: Actor Harshvardhan Rane, who is currently celebrating the success of his latest film Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, recently opened up about his early struggles and the humble beginnings that shaped his journey.
The actor recalled a time when he earned merely ₹10 a day and a plate of chole chawal as his daily meal. “After running away from home… I’ve said this many times, but when you leave everything behind, the first thing you need is food. For that, you need money — which means you need a salary, and to get that, you need a job. It wasn’t easy,” Harshvardhan told reporters.
He shared that he initially took up odd jobs before finding his way into films. “No one would hire me. The easiest job I could get was as a waiter — you don’t need qualifications for that, just the ability to serve. I started with ₹10 per day and a plate of chole rice. That was my salary,” he said.
Reminiscing further, Harshvardhan spoke about working at a cyber café where his good handwriting earned him small tasks like maintaining registers. “In those days — around 2002 — I made ₹10 to ₹20 per day at STD booths and cyber cafés,” he said.
By 2004, he found himself working as a delivery boy, a job that led to an unforgettable encounter. “Once, I had to deliver a helmet from a bike showroom to a hotel. When I reached there, I found out it was for John Abraham. His manager asked me to wait, and I remember being nervous, hoping I wouldn’t get scolded or mess up.”
To his surprise, John came down to personally thank him. “It was during his Garam Masala and Dhoom days. I was awkward and sweaty, but he still stopped to say thank you. That moment changed something in me — I realised that even a big star could show such humility. It was a humanity lesson in ten seconds.”
Years later, fate brought their paths together again. “Two years ago, I did a film that John produced. Even now, he tells me, ‘Harsh, stop calling me sir.’”
Reflecting on his journey, Harshvardhan added, “It’s been 20 years, but every time I see him, I still feel like that delivery boy holding the helmet. I’m grateful for these two decades. The more I meet people like Sonam and others in the industry, the more I realise how genuine John is. Every year, my respect for him grows — he keeps surprising me with his simplicity and kindness.”
