Actor, host and internet personality Urfi Javed recently reflected on her journey from struggling television actor to becoming one of the most recognised social media influencers in the country. Speaking candidly with Soha Ali Khan on her podcast, Urfi opened up about her difficult early years, her ambitions of becoming a star and the challenges she faced while trying to establish herself in the entertainment industry.
Struggles in her early years
Reminiscing about her early life, Urfi revealed that she had run away from home to escape her abusive father and later moved to Delhi, where she worked at a call centre and also took tuition classes to support herself financially. Despite the hardships, she said she always dreamt of moving to Mumbai and becoming successful in the entertainment world.
According to Urfi, she believed she would become a star within five years, buy a car and a house soon after, and eventually lead a comfortable life. However, her experience in Mumbai turned out to be far more difficult than expected.
She shared that when she initially auditioned for Bollywood projects, she realised how difficult it was to secure opportunities without industry connections. As a result, she shifted her focus to television, believing “no one would reject her pretty face”. While she eventually landed roles in several TV shows, most of them were as supporting characters.
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Talking about her experience in television, Uorfi said, “It was very bad. No one considers you anything if you are not a star or not the lead. If you are a side character you are not treated well. I was not happy and I felt I was meant for bigger things.”
Despite her dissatisfaction, she continued working in television to survive in Mumbai and pay her rent. She recalled, “I always wanted to be in the spotlight. But I was like ghar bhi chalana hai toh jo bhi mahine ka 40,000 mil raha hai bahut hai, but I was not satisfied.”
Her breakthrough
Urfi further revealed that while she had always enjoyed fashion, she never initially planned to pursue it professionally. However, the rise of social media encouraged her to create DIY fashion content, which gradually began attracting attention online. She said her appearance on Bigg Boss OTT proved to be a turning point, especially after one of her outfits made from garbage went viral.
She added that another viral airport reel featuring her in a sports bra and jacket pushed her towards becoming a full-fledged content creator and fashion influencer. According to Urfi, her popularity happened organically and was never part of a calculated strategy.
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The actor also shared that while she once earned around Rs. 40,000 per month working in television, her income later increased to nearly 2 lakhs monthly through brand collaborations after her online popularity surged.
Urfi made her acting debut in 2016 with Bade Bhaiyya Ki Dulhania and later appeared in shows such as Chandra Nandini, Meri Durga, and Bepannaah. However, mainstream recognition came after her appearance on Bigg Boss OTT Season 1. Most recently, she was seen hosting Splitsvilla X6 alongside Nia Sharma, Karan Kundrra and Sunny Leone.
