Gaurav Gera rose to widespread fame with his performance in the Dhurandhar franchise. (Credit: Facebook/@gauravgeraofficial)Despite making a name for himself in the television circuit, actor-comedian Gaurav Gera’s film career was almost nonexistent until recently. Although he appeared in a handful of movies since the early 2000s, he seldom received substantial offers, let alone earned acclaim as a film actor. However, director Aditya Dhar’s Ranveer Singh-led Dhurandhar franchise has changed the game for him, propelling Gaurav to massive fame, thanks to his memorable performance as Mohammed Aalam.Having never shied away from speaking candidly about his cinematic and life journeys, Gaurav recently opened up about the severe financial struggles he faced during his early days as a budding actor, when he even had less than Rs 100 in his bank account.Must Read | Virat Kohli dances with Anushka Sharma after RCB’s IPL 2026 triumph, declares: ‘We did it twice’‘Worked for exactly 6 months and then joined theatre’Revealing that no member of his family had any prior connection to Tinseltown, the actor-comedian shared that he, nonetheless, harboured artistic aspirations ever since he was in school. Although he enrolled at a fashion institute after school, Gaurav slowly realised soon enough it wasn’t his calling.“I was good at sketching. I applied to the College of Arts, but I didn’t get in. Then I turned to fashion and joined the Pearl Academy of Fashion. I soon realised that this wasn’t what I wanted to do. I told my father, ‘Save the money; it’s a very expensive course. I won’t do it.’ My father said, ‘Finish it. Work for six months, and then do whatever your heart desires.’ I worked for exactly six months and then joined the theatre,” he shared during a conversation with Jist India.ICYMI | Nargis called relationship with Raj Kapoor a ‘horrible nightmare’: ‘Made me feel disgusting’Gaurav Gera recalls bowing his head to a bank everydayAlthough his father was an engineering graduate from IIT-BHU, and his brother a software engineer, the actor said his family never forced anything upon him. With a dream of a career in acting, Gaurav relocated to Mumbai from Delhi during the late 1990s. However, the journey was anything but a cakewalk, as he had almost no money.Story continues below this ad“I had only Rs 84 in my account. I used to pass by an HDFC Bank, look at it, and say, ‘Please take care of me.’ I would even bow my head to the bank whenever I passed by. My father was a salaried person. I still have his letters where he would write, ‘I am sending Rs 2,000; I don’t have more than this.’ At that time, it didn’t feel like a hardship. If I didn’t have money for an auto, I would just walk. I was quite a self-respecting person. I wanted to become a giver, not a taker,” he shared.Gaurav Gera’s journeyAfter rising to fame playing a key role in the soap opera Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, Gaurav Gera made notable appearances in television shows such as The Great Indian Comedy Show, Hero – Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai, Babban Bhai v/s Bimla Tai, Tota Weds Maina, Mrs Pammi Pyarelal, Chutki Shopkeeper Aur Woh, and BOSS: Baap of Special Services, among others.He also worked in movies such as Kahani Rubberband Ki, MSG: The Messenger of God, and The Shaukeens, among others.