Rajesh Tailang on becoming famous in his 50s: I felt joy even during my struggle period | Exclusive
Rajesh Tailang is one of the few Bollywood actors who got success in his 50s with the boom of OTT, owing to which he will now be seen in the lead role in Bakaiti
Last Updated: 09.01 PM, Jul 29, 2025
Rajesh Tailang, soon to be seen in the Zee5 series Bakaiti, is an actor who got recognized for his roles through OTT, and it happened after he crossed his 50s. While nobody could think of achieving stardom at the said age in Bollywood previously, things changed and Rajesh Tailang is an example of the same. The actor, who you remember for his appearance in TV series like Mirzapur and Delhi Crime, simply held on and even though he went through what one would call ‘struggle period,’ The actor talks to OTTplay about how he never felt like he was ever struggling.
‘I felt joy even during my struggle period’
Ask Rajesh Tailang what kept the spark alive and he says, “It might sound very idealistic, but I love my art. It is the only thing that kept me going. It's not in my hand how far-and-wide the content reaches, but if you love acting, then whether it reaches five or 5000 people, it doesn't matter. My constant approach is to work on something so that I find good roles.”
He noted how people tend to face challenges when faced with survival instincts, but that was not as much a problem for him because the actor was constantly working and finding joy in what he did. “The problem arises when survival hits, and that is true for any artist ever. If I think in retrospect, then I realize that I have been through a lot of struggle, but I felt joy even during the struggle period. I enjoyed every phase in life,” he shared.
‘When you go through learning phase, it doesn’t feel like struggle’
It wasn’t before our interview with him that it hit Rajesh Tailang that it took a long time for him to become famous. “When you think in retrospect, then you feel like it took a long time, but when enjoying the journey, that is not how you feel. At least I didn't feel that way,” the actor said.
For Rajesh Tailang, the perspective is slightly different. He believes he went through a learning phase and thus, he did not find himself struggling as much. He tells us, “I can build stories just for the sake of it, but when you go through the learning phase, it doesn't feel like struggle. It's fun when you do something you love. It is your safe space.”
Rajesh Tailang credits his actor friends for making the journey enjoyable, shares how they meet up for some ‘Bakaiti’ from time-to-time
The actor recalls how some of his friends are still struggling, while others are more successful than him, but they all still catch up for some ‘Bakaiti (loud chatter)’ from time-to-time. “All of my friends are actors from NSD. We used to share dreams and goals. Some of our friends became a star early on, and others are still struggling,” he recalled, stating how everybody is well-aware of their standing in the group but are treated as friends nonetheless.
“Every one of us knows the kind of life we were entering when we dreamed of becoming actors. We also know that we're all just as talented, but the kind of work we have done/chosen, that is what set us all apart,” he shared.
While having good friends within the industry helped, Rajesh Tailang believes that the acting keeda is what kept him going. The actor said, “There's a reality check. I can say that for my industry friends because that is how we have grown. That company matters, but also the constant curiousity to learn helped.”
Bakaiti will be available on Zee5 via OTTplay Premium on August 1. Happy streaming!
FAQs
Q: Is Bakaiti a series or a movie?
A: ZEE5's (OTTplay Premium) Bakaiti is a slice-of-life series.
Q: When will Bakaiti be released?
A: Bakaiti will be released on August 1, 2025
Q: Where can we watch Bakaiti?
A: Bakaiti will be released on ZEE5 and will also be available on OTTplay Premium.
Q: Which actors are there in Bakaiti?
A: Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chadha, and others are there in Bakaiti.