Several models have transitioned to acting, but only a few have managed to gain recognition and make a place for themselves in the highly competitive industry. From junior Wimbledon to mainstream music videos, model and actor Bikram Saluja had one of the most unexpected entries into Indian entertainment. Yet, despite making a major Bollywood debut opposite Karisma Kapoor, he eventually stepped away from acting.
Bikram Saluja’s journey to Bollywood
Born and brought up in Indore, Bikram Saluja was an elite athlete long before entering showbiz. At the age of eight, he chanced upon tennis at a local club and dreamt of competing on the professional tennis circuit. By the age of 18, in 1992, he was ranked among the top 50 junior tennis players globally and played at both junior Wimbledon and the junior US Open. However, when he moved into the men’s section, things did not go as planned, and he realised that tennis was not working out for him.
After stepping back from professional tennis, Bikram entered modelling and won the inaugural Grasim Mr India title in 1994. He represented India internationally at the 1996 Mr World competition in Istanbul, finishing in the Top 10. During the late 1990s, Saluja became a prominent face in Indian pop music videos, appearing in Asha Bhosle’s iconic Parde Mein Rehne Do and Bali Brahmbhatt’s Tere Bin Jeena Nahin. He also featured in several theatre plays, including Karma Bhoomi, Teen Ikke, Kiski Biwi Kiska Shauhar and more.
Bollywood debut with Karisma Kapoor
Bikram made his high-profile feature film debut in Khalid Mohammed’s critically acclaimed Fiza (2000), playing the romantic partner of Karisma Kapoor’s titular character. His performance in the film impressed critics and earned him recognition. He went on to feature in prominent ensemble projects including LOC: Kargil, Plan, Page 3 and Just Married.
In a chat with the Main Character Energy podcast, Bikram revealed that he continued approaching directors and producers for work even after Fiza. However, he eventually stepped away from acting when he stopped receiving the kind of substantial roles he was looking for. He realised that “it’s a different ball game altogether” and decided he did not want to waste his time pursuing it.
In 2004, he married Schauna Chauhan, the CEO of Parle Agro. However, during his journey of directing documentaries, his personal life also underwent changes. The actor and Schauna eventually separated, and they have a 12-year-old son who lives with his ex-wife.
Where is Bikram Saluja now?
Bikram gradually shifted his focus away from mainstream acting to working behind the camera and pursuing entrepreneurial interests.
He moved into directing and producing content through his production company, Puppeteer Films. He directed the ambitious documentary series Travelling with The Pros, featuring sports legends such as Saina Nehwal, Mahesh Bhupathi, Abhinav Bindra, Narain Karthikeyan, Sushil Kumar, Pankaj Advani and Jeev Milkha Singh. His latest directorial venture is a documentary series titled India On The Road, which is currently under production.
Bikram revealed that he spent 1,000 days on the road while shooting the documentary. He is also the author of the book An Actor’s Inspiration. The former actor has revealed that he is open to making a comeback in front of the camera, provided he finds the right project.