Success is sweeter when it follows a gut-wrenching struggle. Harshvardhan Rane would know. For, there was a time when even survival was a battle for the Bollywood actor. Fuelled by the ambition to enter showbiz, Harsh ran away from home (Gwalior) at 16 - that was his second attempt at fleeing, by the way - and landed in Delhi with just Rs 200 in his pocket. Soon, the teenager realised that dreams won't fill an empty stomach. He recalls, “I couldn't relate to the mindset of people in my hometown. Since I had no educational qualification, I only got menial jobs in Delhi. Soon, a PCO hired me for Rs 10 a day to maintain their call log. Within a few days, a cyber cafe owner offered me a job with a 'hike' of Rs 20 per day.“

It was then that Harsh became aware of a major handicap he had - he didn't know English. “I started watching English news channels and would repeat after the anchor. Since coaching classes were expensive, I joined a call centre where, after undergoing training for a month, I quit. I followed this strategy in 15 BPOs. I could earn money and learn English at the same time. I also assisted a DJ around that time and replaced him after he fought with the club owner,“ the actor says.

Harsh's Delhi stay ended quite unexpectedly. “The idea of being associated with Bollywood prompted me to get into DVD distribution. So, when I got a similar offer from Mumbai, I was excited because I had heard stories about people landing opportunities, just like that. So, in 2006, I left for Mumbai with my girlfriend,“ he says.

But tougher times awaited him in Mumbai. “When I learnt that I will have to pay a deposit of Rs 55,000 to rent an accommodation, I put up my girlfriend at a friend's place and returned to Delhi. I worked at two call centres simultaneously for a couple of months and headed back to Mumbai with sufficient money. Then we started staying on rent,“ he elaborates.

Once settled, Harsh decided to pursue acting, and bagged a TV show after his first audition. He also joined an acting class. However, his wait for making it to the big screen continued. “One day, I went to meet a film producer and entered the wrong flat. It was a casting agency and they suggested that I audition for a four-hero Telugu film. I was confirmed a month later. Interestingly, it's not easy down South for a newcomer to bag positive roles, but I was adamant. For three years, I kept rejecting negative characters and took up carpentry instead. I used to refurbish old furniture and sell it. I also painted a restaurant or two. Suddenly in 2013, I started getting many positive roles down South and in 2015, I bagged my first Bollywood film, Sanam Teri Kasam,“ he says.

Looking back, the actor says he has no regrets whatsoever. “I have always followed my heart and don't regret any decision,“ he says. Well, that's not completely true, though. As Harsh confesses, “I am single since nine years. My only regret is that I let go of the girls I connected with on an emotional level.“