Kriti Sanon Struggle & Rejections; Starkids Competition

Today, Kriti Sanon is counted among Bollywood’s successful actresses. She has a National Award, several superhit films, and her own production house to her name. But the path to reaching this position has been paved with rejections, loneliness, taunts, and a battle of self-confidence.

This is the story of a girl who never dreamt of acting, but once she chose the path, she never looked back.

In today’s success story, some special facts related to Kriti Sanon’s career and personal life.

Kriti Sanon faced every difficulty, but did not compromise on her dreams.

Delhi’s Engineering Student, Who Traveled to Bollywood on the Strength of Her Dreams

Kriti Sanon was born on July 27, 1990, in New Delhi. Her father, Rahul Sanon, is a Chartered Accountant, while her mother, Geeta Sanon, has been an Associate Professor at Delhi University. Her younger sister, Nupur Sanon, is also active in the world of acting and singing.

Kriti completed her early education at Delhi Public School (DPS), R.K. Puram. After this, she obtained a B.Tech degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from JP Institute of Information Technology, Noida.

‘I was good in studies, never thought of coming into films’

Kriti Sanon had revealed in an interview with Bollywood Bubble that during her childhood, her entire focus was on studies. She was good at studies, but also very shy. She says, “I was even afraid to go on stage. I liked dancing, but I never participated in acting, theatre, or drama. I never even thought about coming into films.”

After school, she started studying engineering. Life was moving on a predetermined path. No one had any idea that this very girl would go on to become a big Bollywood star.

A piece of advice during B.Tech changed her life

One day during engineering, someone said to Kriti, “You have good height, why don’t you try modeling?”

Her first reaction was – “No… I can’t do this.” But then she thought that there’s no harm in trying. If nothing happened, at least her confidence would increase. This decision became a major turning point in her life.

Sister took pictures… and destiny opened a new door

Kriti did not have a professional portfolio. Her younger sister Nupur took some pictures at home.

Today, Kriti herself laughs looking at those pictures. She says, “Even today, when I see those pictures, I laugh at how strange they were.”

She sent those same pictures to a Fresh Face Contest running on a website. The prize was a free portfolio shoot with famous photographer Dabboo Ratnani. Kriti only knew that a photoshoot with Dabboo Ratnani was expensive. She knew nothing about the world of fashion and modeling.

Luck was on her side… she won the contest. This is where she got her first modeling contract and the path to films opened up.

First photoshoot… and she cried inconsolably after going home

It’s not easy for a new person to stand in front of the camera. It wasn’t for Kriti either. She didn’t know how to look at the camera, where to place her hands, or how to give expressions.

During the shoot, the photographer smiled and just said, “This is your first photoshoot, isn’t it?”

The comment was normal, but Kriti felt that perhaps she was doing a bad job. The shoot ended… she went straight home and cried.

Even today, Kriti believes that if she feels she hasn’t given 100 percent, it bothers her for a long time.

Scolded in front of everyone at the first ramp show… kept crying while sitting in an auto

If the photoshoot was difficult, the first ramp show proved even tougher. Due to nervousness, she made a mistake in the choreography on the ramp. When the show ended, the choreographer scolded her in front of about 50 models.

Kriti didn’t say anything. She quietly walked out… sat in an auto… and cried the entire way. Even after reaching home, her tears didn’t stop for a long time.

Her mother explained to her, “I don’t think this world is made for you. If you want to survive here, you will have to become very strong. If you break down hearing people’s words, you won’t be able to move forward.” Perhaps that was the day Kriti decided that crying stops now… learning begins.

Never learned to give up

Kriti believes that this habit has always been within her. If she falls, she gets up again and tries. She says, “I don’t give up easily. Perhaps that’s why every time I fell, I gave myself another chance. Slowly, my confidence grew.”

This determination would later turn her from a model into an actress and then a National Award-winning artist.

Started living alone in Mumbai, also prepared for GMAT… Family said – first fulfill your dream

After the scolding from her first ramp show and initial failures, Kriti Sanon did not give up. Modeling was progressing, but the path to films was still blurry. Meanwhile, she decided to come to Mumbai. It wasn’t easy, as she had never been away from home.

‘I had never stayed in a hostel’

Kriti shares, “I had always lived with my family. There were all amenities at home. I had learned to drive a car by college, but I never had to live alone.”

The first five-six months after coming to Mumbai were easy, as her father was also posted in Mumbai at that time. But after that… Dad went back, and for the first time, Kriti was completely alone.

Rented house… house help… food… she managed all responsibilities herself

Life had changed. Taking a rented house, managing expenses, getting food cooked, arranging for house help… every small and big responsibility was on her shoulders. Along with this, she was auditioning for films.

During this time, she was also preparing for GMAT. Her family had also prepared a Plan B for her. If acting didn’t work out, she could pursue further studies and build another career. But Kriti now had only one dream in her mind.

Knew nothing about the film industry

Upon reaching Mumbai, the most unfamiliar world troubled her. Kriti says, “I didn’t understand where to start. Whom to meet, which production house to go to, which film to do and which not to. I knew nothing.”

She was not from a film family. For her, Bollywood was just the glamour on screen. The world behind the screen was completely new.

‘I was only a fan of Shah Rukh, Madhuri and Hrithik’

Kriti says that she loved films. She was a big fan of Madhuri Dixit, Shah Rukh Khan, and Hrithik Roshan. But she believes that being a fan and understanding the industry are different things. She also didn’t know how to build a career, whom to meet, and who would give the right advice.

Agency Became the Biggest Strength

Kriti believes that in her early days, her modeling agency supported her a lot. They explained to her when to audition, when to wait for a role, and when to decline a film. For a new artist, the right advice is a great strength. Kriti had found this support.

Mother Said – ‘Don’t Stop Your Dreams’

Behind Kriti’s success, her parents’ trust has been the biggest strength. She says that her mother wanted to do many things in her life. Learning to sing… learning to swim… and many other dreams… but she didn’t get that much freedom.

Perhaps this was the reason she always told her daughter, “Whatever you want to do, do it now. Never stop dreaming. Otherwise, later there will only be regret.” This thought settled in Kriti’s heart.

If it weren’t for Dad’s trust, she probably would never have been able to make this decision.

Kriti believes that if she didn’t have her family’s support, she probably would never have gathered the courage to enter films. She says, “If Dad’s trust wasn’t with me at that time, I probably would never have been able to make such a big decision.” Not every struggling artist gets such a family. Kriti believes this was her greatest strength.

Friend said – if you go into films, you won’t get married

On the path of dreams, it wasn’t just struggle that came… people’s mindsets also came forward. Kriti recounts that one of her friends told her, “If you go into modeling or films, you will have difficulty getting married later.”

Hearing this, she was surprised. She felt that people of her own generation still held such old-fashioned views. But she didn’t pay attention to anyone’s words. For her, at that time, marriage was not…her dream was more important.

One thing changed her life

Kriti says, “I always felt that if I didn’t even try, I would spend my whole life thinking that maybe I could have done it.” This thought kept pushing her forward after every difficulty. She couldn’t see the destination…but she had faith that if she kept walking, she would surely find the way.

Kriti Sanon had auditioned for the film ‘Student of the Year’.

Star kids took the films, didn’t get a single audition for months

When Kriti Sanon came to Mumbai, she thought that she would work hard and gradually find her way. But she soon realized that in Bollywood, talent alone is not enough, especially when you don’t have a film background. Every day began with hope… and many days ended with disappointment.

Kriti says that she auditioned for many films. The film was looking for a new face. She was called… she prepared… she auditioned… hope was kindled… but in the end, the role went to a star kid or an established artist.

Kriti says, “At that time, the question that came to my mind was, if they weren’t going to cast me, then why did they conduct the audition?”

Every time hope was shattered, but the next morning, preparations for a new audition would begin again.

Months would pass, no auditions would come

More difficult than rejection was… waiting. Many months would pass when no audition would come. The phone wouldn’t ring. No calls… no meetings… no hope… This is the toughest phase for a new artist.

Kriti says that at that time it felt as if life had stopped, because no one in the industry even knew her.

‘I used to call my mother 10 times a day’

Loneliness gradually turned into mental pressure. The worry about the future… the fear of not getting work… and the pain of being away from family amidst all this, her biggest strength was her mother.

Kriti gets emotional remembering that period. She says, “I used to call my mother ten times a day. Many times I would just cry. I didn’t understand what would happen next.” Every time her mother would tell her the same thing – “Have patience… keep working hard… the right time will surely come.” This belief kept her from breaking down.

Being an outsider was the biggest challenge

Kriti believes that not being from a film family is a struggle in itself. She says, “Today, when a star kid’s first film comes out, people already know them. There’s discussion in the media. But when a completely new boy or girl comes, people don’t even know when their film was released.”

This was why she had to prove herself again and again for every film, every audition, and every role.

‘Models can’t act’

The struggle wasn’t just about getting roles. People had already formed opinions about her. Many believed that models are only good-looking, they cannot act. Kriti was often considered just a ‘beautiful face’. She felt that people were only looking at her appearance, not her hard work.

Kriti Sanon started her acting career with the Telugu film ‘1: Nenokkadine’ alongside Mahesh Babu. She made her Bollywood debut with ‘Heropanti’ alongside Tiger Shroff.

People didn’t even trust ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’

When she received the offer for Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s film ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, many people still raised questions. People said that Kriti would not be able to play the role of a simple girl from a small town. But Kriti did not pay attention to anyone. She understood the character, learned its language, and adopted its mannerisms.

When the film was released, that very character became a major turning point in her career. As ‘Bitti Mishra’, Kriti proved that she is not just an actress who plays glamorous roles.

After Bareilly Ki Barfi, Kriti Sanon did not shoot any film for 15 months.

In ‘Panipat’, it was said – she doesn’t look like a Marathi girl

Even after ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, the questions didn’t end. During the film ‘Panipat’, people said – “Kriti doesn’t look like a Marathi girl.” Initially, Kriti herself had this fear. She wondered how she would look in this role. But as soon as she put on the costume, did her makeup, and started getting into character, all the fear disappeared.

She realized that an artist’s true identity is their acting, not just their face.

Kriti’s Biggest Lesson

Constant rejections, criticism, and waiting taught her one thing – others’ opinions cannot define your identity. She turned every ‘no’ into preparation for the next ‘yes’. This mindset eventually led her to the biggest film of her career.

People stopped her from doing ‘Mimi’, but the same film earned her a National Award

After ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, Kriti Sanon had proved that she was not just an actress who played glamorous roles. Yet, she felt that the industry was not fully accepting her as an artist. She was waiting for roles that would truly test her acting skills. This wait ended with the film ‘Mimi’.

‘Don’t play a mother’s role so soon’

When Kriti received the script for ‘Mimi’, many people advised her that playing the role of a mother at such a young age would not be the right decision. People believed that it would affect her glamorous image and could impact her career.

But Kriti did what she had always done. She listened to the story, not the people. Kriti says, “For me, the story was the most important thing. I found the journey of that character very beautiful. If the story touches the heart, then other things don’t matter. I never considered that decision a risk.”

Gained weight for the role, completely transformed herself

‘Mimi’ was not just a film. It was the biggest challenge of Kriti’s career. To portray the character of a surrogate mother authentically on screen, she gained weight, changed her look, and spent months understanding the character’s emotions.

When the film was released, critics along with the audience highly praised her performance. The actress who was once called just a ‘beautiful face’ was now being lauded for her acting.

National Award Changed Her Identity

Kriti Sanon received the National Film Award (Best Actress) for ‘Mimi’. This was not just an award. It was an answer to all the rejections, waiting, taunts, and struggles she had endured for years. The same girl who was once told that models cannot act… won the country’s highest acting honor.

Even today, she believes – rejections were necessary

Today, when Kriti remembers her struggling days, she has no complaints against anyone. She believes that if she hadn’t faced so many failures in the beginning, she probably wouldn’t have become such a strong artist.

In her words, “If I hadn’t received so many rejections in the beginning, I probably wouldn’t be the Kriti Sanon of today. Every rejection taught me something new and forced me to become better.”

Broke a new stereotype with every character

A small-town girl in ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’… a historical character in ‘Panipat’… a surrogate mother in ‘Mimi’… a robot in ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’… and an actress turned producer in ‘Do Patti’… Kriti took a new risk every time. Perhaps this is why today she is not just considered a star, but a reliable actress.

Read last week’s success story…

Rashmika Mandanna was rejected in 20-25 auditions: Was told her face isn’t like an actress; then became a Pan-India star

Today, Rashmika Mandanna is one of India’s biggest stars, thanks to blockbuster films like Pushpa, Animal, and Chhaava. However, her journey to success was far from easy. Early in her career, she attended nearly 20–25 auditions, only to be rejected repeatedly, with many telling her that she “didn’t have the face of an actress.” Read full news…