12th Fail actor Vikrant Massey, who was last seen in the film The Sabarmati Report, surprised everyone on the morning of December 2, 2024, when he shared a cryptic post on Instagram. The actor, who started his career with a feature on TV before venturing into films in 2013, shared a note thanking his fans for their support and noted that it was time for him to “recalibrate”. He also hinted that fans will see him for the last time in 2025, leaving them shocked and confused.
Her post sparked a buzz about other Bollywood stars who stayed away from the big screen at the height of their fame for various reasons. Here is a list of famous actors who have decided to quit or take a break from their film career in the past.
Jaya Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan made her film debut at the age of 15 and was a leading female actress of the 70s. However, after acting in hit films like Guddi and Abhiman, she moved away from films after marrying Amitabh Bachchan in 1973.
She embraced motherhood with the birth of her children Shweta and Abhishek, and continued to focus on her family until her comeback with Hazar Chaurasi Ki Maa in 1998. However, she is selective about her work. She began acting in the early 2000s as a mother in Karan Johar’s films Kehbi Khushi Kaabi Gum and Kaal Ho Na Ho; Her last appearance on screen was in the film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, which was released in 2023.
Sridevi
Bollywood’s first female superstar, Sridevi acted in more than 300 films in different languages. But after giving hits like Chandni and Mr. India, she took a break from films for 15 years. After marrying Boney Kapoor in 1996, she took this bold step.
The couple welcomed their first daughter Janhvi Kapoor the following year and another daughter Khushi in 2000. She made her film comeback with English Vinglish in 2012 but remained selective about her work until her death in 2018. She also had a cameo role in the film Mom and Shahrukh’s Zero.
Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma made her Bollywood debut at the age of 20 with SRK in the film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. She was at the peak of her career after hit films like PK, Sultan, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil when she married cricketer Virat Kohli. In 2017 and her filmmaking slowed down.
The couple welcomed a daughter in 2021 and a son in 2024. After welcoming her daughter, she shot for the movie ‘Chakda Express’ but its release got delayed and has not been released yet. She is not shooting for a new film and is choosy about her projects to focus on her family. She made a cameo appearance in the film Kaala in 2022 and was only seen in advertisements and interviews.
Zaira Wasim
Zaira Wasim made her debut at the age of 13 and her performances in Dangal and Secret Superstar earned her widespread acclaim. However, Wasim shocked the industry in 2019 when she decided to quit acting at the age of 18.
In her social media post, she explained that she had to quit because her work conflicted with her religious beliefs. Despite his short career, he carved out a special place for himself in the industry. Since leaving Bollywood, she has maintained her personal life. She was last seen in the film The Sky is Pink and was loved for her performance in the film.
Imran Khan
Aamir Khan’s nephew Imran Khan made his successful debut in 2008 with Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. He quickly became popular in the industry due to his charm and varied roles. He acted in popular films like Delhi Belly, I Hate Love Stories, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, etc.
However, he stopped working in films in 2015 after continuous flops. He has been away from the limelight, but recently, he gave interviews and hinted at a possible comeback in the industry. He was seen talking about his mental health journey in an interview with Aamir Khan’s daughter aka Bhanji.
Shah Rukh Khan
The King Khan of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan has defined a generation through his popular films Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to Veer Zara and Om Shanti Om among others. But, in 2018, after the unexpected response to his film Zero, he took a break to introspect and rethink his choice of films.
He continued to focus on his family and produced films under Red Chillies Entertainment. The superstar made his much-awaited comeback with Pathan in 2023 and went on to star in more successful films. He went through personal turmoil in 2022 with his son’s controversy and returned with a bang with Pathan and Jawan, both of which did wonders for him at the box office. He was seen hosting IIFA with Vicky Kaushal.
Aamir Khan
Bollywood’s Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan slowed down his filmmaking in the 2000s. He has taken many breaks in his career, but after the warm response to his amicus project Lal Singh Chadha, he decided to take another long break.
In his recent interview, he shared that he decided to quit films to give time to his family, but they made him think otherwise. He will next be seen in Sitare Zameen Par, starring Darsheel Safari and Genelia Deshmukh.
He has been promoting Lapata Ladies with the film’s director Kiran Rao as the film’s producer; This film has also been nominated for this year’s Oscars.