Express News Service
One fateful morning, around two-and-a-half decades ago, Saurabh Shukla walked into my room with train tickets in his hands. We both were studying at the National School of Drama. ‘Do you know that Frontier Express will leave for Mumbai at 2:20pm today?’ he told me. ‘It does so every day. What’s special about today?’ I replied. ‘You are boarding it with me,’ he said,” reminisces Rajesh Jais, the now famous TV and film actor.
Jais was hesitant, but nevertheless boarded the train with Shukla. Today, he is happy that he listened to his friend. It was for a small role in a TV serial, which paved the way for a successful career. Apart from TV serials Shanti, Sorry Meri Lorry, Nazdeekiyan, Zanjeerain etc, Jais also did hit movies Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Airlift, Tashan, Joggers’ Park, Raazi, Why Cheat India, Indoo Ki Jawani and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, etc. In his upcoming release, Ruhi Afza, he plays Jahnvi Kapoor’s dad. At present, he is shooting in Pipariya town of Hoshangabad district, Madhya Pradesh, for Chhorii the remake of a Marathi horror flick, Lapachhapi.