I GOT TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, COULD NOT CASH IN ON IT

Ashutosh Kaushik, who had a brief brush with fame after winning reality shows, on why he left the limelight

For most people, winning a reality show requires blood, sweat and tears. But Ashutosh Kaushik, who won reality shows Roadies 5.0 in 2007 and Bigg Boss in 2008, admits he surprised himself by winning two shows back-to-back. Kaushik, who was seen in a few films such as Zila Ghaziabad (2013) and Kismat Love Paisa Dilli (2012), believes his lack of work in the mainstream media thereafter was maybe a result of getting too much, too soon in life.

The 42-year-old elaborates, “I kept winning reality shows due to luck majorly and by God’s grace. I hadn’t really worked for it. Perhaps, I didn’t know or wasn’t able to appreciate their value in life. Had I struggled in the entertainment industry, I would have understood what I got and how to make a career out of it. I couldn’t cash in on the success.”

However, the actor and reality show winner is grateful for the journey he has had. “When I won Roadies ,itwasa high. I had auditioned many times and faced rejections. The experience was fun, tough and memorable. After winning, I returned to my hometown in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A year later, another reality show Bigg Boss called and I was part of it. The audience gave me a lot of love,” says Kaushik, who was also seen in Roadies 8 (2011).

While one would expect the path to fame in the industry to be clear after the success, Kaushik admits he couldn’t stay in Mumbai for longer periods as he had to look after his family and help his sisters ace their academics. He adds, “Now, one of my sisters is a dietician and lives in London and another is a beautician and doing well. Main padhne mein naalayak tha par padhane mein badhiya tha.”

With no regrets about how things panned out for him, he currently runs two dhabas in his hometown and has a “kapde ka showroom” in Uttarakhand. He says, “Roti ki koi dikkat nahin hai. I do shows for news channels in Noida from time-to-time. If I get a call from Mumbai for any project, I go, shoot and

NOW

THEN

Ashutosh Kaushik in Roadies 5.0 return. I put up local content on my YouTube channel and Facebook page. I have made films and shows in my town giving chance to local talent. It’s a digital world and one doesn’t need to be in Mumbai to have a successful career.”

Kaushik, who got married in 2020, during the lockdown, made headlines a few months back, after filing a petition in High Court asking videos, links and references to his 2009 drunken driving case be removed from all online platforms.

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