When brother became a gangster, he left home after 10th: Rajesh Jais said – sold paan to buy school dress, asked for money by showing snake tricks

This time the story of struggle took us to Bollywood actor Rajesh Jais. Rajesh Jais is known for films like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Airlift, Tu Jhoothi ​​Main Makkar. His work in TV shows like Shanti, Byomkesh Bakshi also cannot be ignored. He has also left his acting mark in OTT's famous web show Panchayat, Scam 1992.

Rajesh reached Bhaskar's office in Mumbai at around 2 pm. After a little formality he asked to start the interview.

Bitter and sweet memories of childhood?

Growing up, Rajesh remained untouched by his father's love. Regarding this he said, 'I was born in a middle class Hindu family in Ranchi, Jharkhand. There is just a blurred image of father. I remember his playing the tabla and doing calligraphy in Urdu and English. The reason is that he died when I was in second class.

After his departure, life went uneventfully. There was no memory of eating and drinking. Sometimes he could survive only by eating guavas. When going to school, he used to pluck carrots near the pond and eat them and drink water from the same pond. We were sent to the village during summer holidays. There my job was to take 10 buffaloes and 2 cows to the pond and bathe them.

Have you ever had such a thing as pocket money?

In response, he said, 'At that time I was so carefree that I used to beg along with some children for pocket money. The whole story is that Dodha snake was found here. We used to wrap it around our neck and show plays to people, in return for which we would get some money. After this we would release the snake and arrange for food with the money we got.

There is an incident which I have not told anywhere yet. There was Sandhya Cinema Hall in Ranchi. There was a paan and bicycle shop nearby. When I was in 7th class, I used to sit at that paan shop. He also used to pay attention to the bicycle shop when its owner was not there. The biggest reason for working at the paan shop was that at that time there was a trend to wear white dress in school. But there was no money to get it stitched. In such a situation, she worked at a paan shop and got a pair of white dresses stitched with that income. The journey was difficult but I was happy that I did not borrow from anyone. Whatever he did, he did with his own money.

How was your relationship with your brother after your father left?

Regarding this he said, 'After my father's death, I distanced myself from the family. Actually, I had a problem with anti-social work from the beginning. But the elder brother had started doing the same work. Things like guns, grenades and detonators were lying near my bedside. He also dealt in fake notes. I was never imprisoned but due to this I visited the jail many times. The result was that I left home after 10th.

Tell us about your college days?

Rajesh had studied from Marwari College, Hindpiri. Here too, he did small jobs while studying. He said, 'I started working from an early age to support myself. I used to study in college from 7 to 11 in the morning. After this, he used to do accounting work at a Marwari businessman's house and then used to teach tuition to his children. After this he used to go to another place to teach tuition. Along with teaching children, one advantage was that wherever he went to teach, arrangements for food were also made there.

One thing is that at this time I also used to write for Ranchi Express. Let us say that at this time I also worked as a journalist.

Did you also try gliding?

Rajesh says laughingly, 'Father was in the army. I kept listening to his stories, inspired by which I also wanted to serve the country. Joined NCC after coming to college. Also got a chance to do rifling here. Also did aeromodelling. When he came to college, he also did gliding flying in the senior division.

I was more interested in these things than studies. When the army jeep came to pick me up, there was a huge commotion among the college kids. After coming to Mumbai, I came to know that whatever people do by paying, I had done it for free during NCC.

It was at this time that you joined theatre, what is that story? Rajesh started laughing at our question. He said- What amazing research you have done.

After this he explained about this moment in detail, 'One day the sound of singing and playing came from the roof of the college. I went up to see this. There some children were doing all this by making circles. Then one of the boys, Debu Ganguly, called me and said – he will sing a song.

I also sang it. Then he asked me to play the dholak, I played that too. I had done all these things jokingly, but after doing it I was experiencing freedom for the first time. Then Debu asked me to do the play and I agreed. Then the process of acting started from here.

During this time, I met Professor Ajay Malkani, who used to run youth theater in Ranchi. He offered to join his drama group. I happily joined. After this, he also gave me a place to stay in his own house because before this I was living in a room in a building where a water motor was installed. I had hired him from the watchman. What else does a blind person need except two eyes? Along with staying in his house, arrangements for food were also made.

Rajesh told that he has not borrowed from anyone in his entire life. He has not even asked for recommendation from anyone for work. As a result, they yearn for the success they deserve.

How did you leave IIMC and join NSD?

'At this time someone said that it was difficult to get admission in NSD. Then I said that I will study journalism from IIMC. On this a person said that I will not be able to get admission here. Influential people are taught here. He did not react to such things of people but took them to heart. Then I filled the form for NSD and IIMS simultaneously. The results of both came together and both got qualified.

My first choice was NSD but for this I had to deposit a bank draft of Rs 1300, for which I did not have that much money. When my friends came to know about this, they arranged for Rs 1300 and got a draft made. The biggest decision of my career was not taken by me but by my friends.

After this he himself made arrangements to send me from Ranchi to Delhi. I was bid farewell at the railway station with drums and garlands. With tears in my eyes, I left for Delhi because I was going out of Ranchi for the first time.

Tell us that funny incident of the train during this journey?

'I was crying, then TT came saying ticket-ticket. With sad eyes I took out the ticket and gave it to him. The reply came from there that this ticket was for yesterday. Then he asked- Where are you going?

I replied- I have been selected in National School of Drama, I am going to Delhi. He was very happy to hear this because he was also associated with theatre. Then after taking some money he gave another ticket. One thing I would also like to say is that being in NSD was a great relief, because after this the struggle of arranging food three times a day was over.

What was your special memory of NSD?

In response, Rajesh says, 'We had given the longest dharna till date in NSD, this dharna continued for 2 months. Questions were raised on this even in Parliament. A notice of expulsion from college had gone out at home. Later people like Sanjay Mishra and Tigmanshu Dhulia also joined us in this strike. However, it was not removed after much effort. But, the college did not get permission to stay in the hostel during summer vacations. Then the make-up teacher there gave her shelter in her house.

At that time NSD course was for 3 years. In the fourth year, a scholarship of Rs 1500 was given for any one project. I had committed so many scandals in college that I knew I would not get a scholarship. In such a situation, I gave NET exam for a fixed job and it also got cleared.

While staying in NSD, I also did a job, which was against the rules there. Despite this, I did this work without telling anyone. At that time there were 4-5 theaters in Mandi House. After taking classes here, sometimes I would go to some theaters to do make-up work and sometimes to some to do lighting work. For this work he used to get Rs 500 per day. By doing this, we had collected so much money that I was not able to understand where to spend it.

Rajesh Jais also worked in the 2022 film Mili. Janhvi Kapoor was in the lead role in the film. This picture is from the shooting set of this film.

You did not want to become an actor, then why did you come to Mumbai?

Rajesh said, 'It was very risky to introduce myself as an actor in a place like Jharkhand. No one considered it a respectable job. I had a desire to become an actor but was also afraid that if I couldn't do it then what would I do? For this reason, I prepared myself in defense field, journalism and NET. It was always clear that there would be no flop in future, hence 2-3 Plan B had been prepared in advance.

At that time, Saurabh Shukla and Anil Chaudhary, who is now a director, were my very good friends. One day he came to my room and said that there is a 2:20 train which goes to Mumbai. I said that she must be going, what is special in it. Then they said – Today is special because Rajesh Jais is going to go by this train.

Hearing this I started laughing. Then they told that many people including Sanjay Mishra and Tigmanshu Dhulia have gone to Mumbai. Irfan Bhai is already there.

Then I asked what arrangements would have to be made for this. On this both of them said that they have got my ticket, but they have to deposit Rs 20 thousand. I also gave 20 thousand rupees without thinking. Later it came to light that everyone except me had given only Rs 10,000 each.

Well, we all landed at Borivali in Mumbai, then went to Goregaon, where these people had already rented a 2BHK flat. That place looked very beautiful at night. But when I woke up in the morning, there were only slums nearby. Then I felt that when the name of the place itself has village, then the things around it would also be like village.

Rajesh told that with the advent of OTT, artists like him also got recognition, who were yearning for their identity for the last many years.

Rajesh further told that the real struggle to get work in the industry started after coming to Mumbai. In 1994, she got her first break from the TV show Shanti. Just one year later, she got entry into films with the film O Darling Ye Hai India. Regarding this journey, Rajesh told that he was tired of playing one type of role in TV shows. Sometimes, his heart was so filled that he would stop the car on the way and cry, but despite this, he did whatever work was given to him with full dedication.

Rajesh also talked about his personal life during this conversation. He said, 'My dream was to get married and settle down first. I did not want any girl's affair to come in between my career. However, the opposite happened. After a long time, he became a groom at the age of 35. My wife wants to learn.

This is the wedding picture of Rajesh Jais, in which late Irrfan Khan is also seen with his wife.

The whole story of marriage is that at that time there was no such thing as matrimonial site. In such a situation, I had given an advertisement for marriage in the paper. 9 girls were shortlisted in this, whom I met one by one. But got rejected every time. Then I got married to a family living in Mumbai, with whom I am very close. The girl's family liked me in the very first meeting. When I went to see my wife for the first time, friends like Tigmanshu Dhulia, Sanjay Mishra had gone along with me.

There is also a special story of the wedding day. At that time everyone from the girl's side was present. All my friends were there, but no one from my family was there. This thing suddenly upset me and I started crying. Even today I laugh remembering this day.

Have you found the success you deserve?

In response, Rajesh said, 'I am yet to get the role and success I deserve. I also have confidence in myself that I will get this success soon.