Salman Khan Debut Maine Pyar Kiya Rajeev Verma Hotel In Bhopal

Veteran actor Rajeev Verma, remembered by generations of moviegoers as Salman Khan's on-screen father in Maine Pyar Kiya, has revealed why he chose to walk away from Mumbai and the mainstream entertainment industry despite being part of several iconic films and television shows. In a conversation on the DearGeneration podcast, Verma spoke about working alongside actors who would later become some of Bollywood's biggest stars, the monotony that eventually crept into his career, and why he returned to his hometown of Bhopal to focus on family and a slower pace of life. Verma, who now spends most of his time doing theatre, said he never chased stardom. ‘When we made Maine Pyar Kiya, nobody knew Salman Khan’ Looking back at his breakthrough film, Verma pointed out that many people now identify him as Salman Khan’s father from Maine Pyar Kiya, but the film's cast was largely made up of newcomers at the time. “Maine Pyar Kiya was my first film. By then, I was already a known face on television because of popular serials like Chunauti and Mujrim Haazir. Today, people mostly know me as Salman Khan’s father from Maine Pyar Kiya. They often say, ‘Oh, you were in that Salman Khan film.’ But when we made the film, nobody knew Salman Khan. It was his first film as a leading man,” Verma said. He added that several actors associated with the film were making important career beginnings. “Reema Lagoo was doing her first Hindi film after working extensively in Marathi cinema. It was also Bhagyashree’s debut film, Ajit Vachani’s first film and Laxmikant Berde’s first Hindi film.” ALSO READ: Farah Khan says Ayan Mukerji’s father made her family poor: ‘Producers invested everything’ ‘Many future stars had some of their earliest projects with me’ Verma also recalled working with several actors who would later go on to become major stars. “Many actors who later became stars had some of their earliest projects with me. Akshay Kumar’s first film with me was Deedar, although it was released later. Karisma Kapoor was also part of that film. However, her Prem Qaidi and Akshay’s Saugandh were released before Deedar. The film was directed by veteran filmmaker Pramod Chakravorty. Similarly, Lara Dutta’s first film was also with me.” Despite these associations, Verma said he never viewed his career through the lens of celebrity status. “I never thought in terms of working with big stars. I was busy balancing acting with my job. For nearly ten years, I continued working while holding a regular job. It was only in 1996 that I finally resigned and devoted myself fully to acting.” He added, “I never judged my experiences based on who was a star. Good actors are good actors, whether they are stars or character artistes.” Why Rajeev Verma left Mumbai The actor revealed that years of working in the industry eventually took away the excitement he once felt for acting. “In Maine Pyar Kiya, I played a businessman. After the film became successful, filmmakers began seeing me in a particular image. Once an actor becomes associated with a certain kind of role, people keep casting him in similar parts. I was repeatedly offered the same kind of characters.” That monotony eventually led to burnout. “There came a stage when I stopped enjoying acting. I felt I didn’t want to do it anymore. It started feeling like the office job I used to do earlier — the only difference was that the cheque here was bigger. The excitement and satisfaction I once felt had disappeared. It had become routine work.” Verma said the feeling had been building for years before he finally decided to move back to Bhopal. “Five or six years ago, I returned to Bhopal. Even two or three years before that, I had begun feeling that acting had become routine and I was no longer enjoying it. Spending time with friends, attending weddings and family gatherings, enjoying life — all of that had become negligible. After a point, you start missing those things. You feel like spending time with your family, parents and friends.” The actor said he eventually chose peace of mind over professional ambition. “That’s why I came back. Now I mostly do theatre and enjoy life. I don’t have a great financial need anymore. I have a small hotel here in Bhopal, my children are settled, so now I do theatre and enjoy myself.” Verma also revealed that he has largely stopped taking up work in Mumbai. ‘The glamour of the industry is no longer the same’ According to him, the glamour once associated with the industry has also faded. “Due to OTT, more people are getting work but that era is gone when people would instantly recognise you because of your work. Recently, I was somewhere when a large group of tourists from Gujarat came over to take photographs with me. They spoke about the characters they had seen me play. But after all that, they asked me, ‘Sir, what is your name?’” Rather than being upset, Verma said he found it amusing. “I have no problem with that. If people remember the character, that is more than enough for me.” About Rajeev Verma Rajeev Verma has enjoyed a career spanning more than four decades across films, television and theatre. Apart from Maine Pyar Kiya, he has appeared in several notable films including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Koi. Mil Gaya, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Chalte Chalte and Andaaz. On television, he was part of popular serials such as Chunauti and Mujrim Haazir. Though he has stepped away from the hustle of Mumbai, Verma continues to remain active in theatre from Bhopal.