“Mujhe Struggle Shabd Se Nafrat Hai,” Gaurav Gera On His Journey & Why He Feels It’s Been A Smooth Ride

There was chai on the table, doodh soda in glasses, and the easy magic of a Sunday Brunch when our Editor-in-Chief Kamiya Jani dropped by at Gaurav Gera’s Oshiwara home. It began like most friendly home interviews do, with food, jokes, tasting sessions and a little teasing. Then the conversation wandered into older memories.

Gaurav Gera Reveals Why He Dislikes The Word Struggle

And with that, Gaurav Gera said something many people chasing careers in this city may want to borrow. He doesn’t like the word struggle.

“Mujhe struggle word se hi nafrat hai.” (I hate the word ‘struggle.’)

He said this not because life is easy and not because the road is smooth for all. He simply doesn’t see ambition through that lens. His explanation was simple and sharp; if you are standing here and want to reach there, then what lies in between is not struggle, it is a journey.

That distinction says a lot about him.

Many actors narrate their early years like war stories, but Gaurav’s version is different. He speaks with gratitude. He said he feels lucky because, by his own measure, his journey was one of the smoothest ones. He arrived in Bombay in 1998, carrying the same dream that had filled countless train compartments headed to the city; he wanted to become an actor.

By 2000, he had landed his first television show.

Also Read: Gaurav Gera Shares His Punjabi Kadhi Recipe With Kamiya Jani On Sunday Brunch

Gaurav Gera Opens Up About Early Career Days on Sunday Brunch

Kamiya naturally asked the question that sits inside those two missing years: What were you doing before that? His answer caught her off guard. He said he was dancing! 

Kamiya Jani, our Editor-in-Chief, laughed and called him a man of many talents, and honestly, fair enough. Gaurav shared that those two years were packed with dancing gigs. But he was quick to add context, saying that dancing back then did not come wrapped in glamour. It wasn’t the celebrity-adjacent industry it can appear today, and it certainly wasn’t paying big money.

And while he kept dancing, another voice in his head kept returning: You came here to act.

So he got serious about auditions, about performance, and about the reason he had moved cities in the first place. Soon after, the first TV break came to him.

Then came one of those charming details only real stories contain. Gaurav Gera remembered dancing behind Sunita Rao.

That is Mumbai sometimes; the person behind the star may become one later.

Gaurav Gera’s memories were not dramatic, tragic, or seeking sympathy. They were better than that, as they were honest. A man came to Bombay in 1998, danced where he could, remembered why he had come, and found his way by 2000.

Also Read: Did You Know Dhurandhar’s Gaurav Gera Was A Dancer Before Being An Actor?

Watch the full Sunday Brunch episode on the Curly Tales App or the Curly Tales YouTube Channel.

Cover Image Courtesy: Internal