It was pure destiny that got me whatever work I got: Raveena Tandon

After making her big Bollywood debut in ‘Patthar Ke Phool’ in 1991, Raveena Tandon emerged as one of the most successful actors of the 1990s. She hails from a film family with her father, Ravi Tandon, being the director and producer of some of the well-known films of the 1970s and 1980s. In a recent interview, Raveena asserted that despite being the daughter of a well-known figure in the Hindi film industry, she had no ‘godfather’ and had to forge her path.

Reflecting on her unexpected entry into showbiz, Raveena revealed that she initially had no aspirations to become an actor. However, her life took a turn when a talent scout discovered her and offered her a role in a ‘Sunsilk’ advertisement. This was followed by photographer Shantanu Sheorey reaching out to shoot her. Recalling her journey into the limelight, Raveena told ‘Zoom’, “Things just happened to me. It was not that my dad reached out to people. He was also like, ‘Really?’ He told me what’s wrong and right and how to deal with things, but I made my own career. I didn’t have a godfather sitting on my head. It was pure destiny that got me whatever work I got.”

There was a pivotal moment in Raveena’s life when she found herself feeling ungrateful. To clear her mind, she went out for a drive that eventually led her to a Mumbai slum. Witnessing the harsh living conditions of the residents, Raveena experienced a profound sense of gratitude. Recounting the incident, she shared, “On that night, I saw the living conditions of people in a slum and realised what am I crying about? I have this expensive car. Though I earned that car, it was my hard-earned money.”

The actor, however, was also quick to point out that the position she has reached in life is all because of sheer hard work. She said, “Everybody goes through hard times. My father also faced a lot of hardships. There were times when I used to travel by bus and would have only Rs 1 in my pocket for the fare. I have also lived through that. Everyone doesn’t have the life of roses that the trolls want everybody to believe. We have worked hard for that money. But that rainy night made me thankful for what I have.”