Not every Bollywood aspirant bows to failure; some soar higher elsewhere. Mohammad Iqbal Khan, the 44-year-old Kashmiri actor celebrating his birthday on February 10, traded silver screen setbacks for small-screen supremacy as TV’s go-to romantic lead.
Iqbal discovered acting in Kashmir school plays, charming peers effortlessly. Mumbai beckoned after college, but survival meant modeling amid hardships—no home, scant funds, and zero family handouts. He bottled his battles, emerging tougher.
Film debut ‘Kucch Toh Hai’ sparked hope, quickly dimmed by duds like ‘Bullet: Ek Dhamaka’, ‘Ek Chhoti Si Love Story’, ‘Funtoosh’, and ‘Jalsa’ opposite Vidya Balan. Undeterred, he embraced TV, igniting a golden era.
‘Kaisa Yeh Pyar Hai’ in 2005 was his launchpad, a runaway success that spawned 19 hits. As fierce Shaurya in ‘Kavyaanjali’ and brooding Raghu in ‘Kahin To Hoga’, he became every girl’s crush. Blockbusters followed: ‘Waris’, ‘Dil Se Dil Tak’, ‘Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani’, plus daredevil antics on ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’.
COVID enforced a pause from screens, but ‘Na Umra Ki Seema Ho’ heralded his return. Balancing TV dominance and OTT ventures, Iqbal at 44 embodies perseverance. His arc reminds us: true stars adapt and conquer.