Mumbai, Oct 11
Actor Samarth Jurel has revealed how he was told that he appeared negative because of having one green and one brown eye.
Samarth said: "This has been a significant issue for me. I have beautiful eyes, and I take pride in them. People often told me my look appeared negative, even when I smiled, which left me confused."
The actor tried wearing contact lenses, hoping it would help.
"But I have an allergy that causes infections. Even after my time on 'Bigg Boss', I faced similar feedback while auditioning for major productions. Recently, while working on a film, I had to convince the director that I could handle the role. He insisted I wear lenses, explaining that my green eyes appear lighter on screen, complicating the emotional portrayal."
He recalled one audition.
"I remember auditioning for a Hindi remake of a South Indian film featuring Khushi Kapoor and Vedang. Although the casting director didn't directly mention my eyes as a problem, I sensed it might be an issue. I wished I had black eyes for that character."
The actor revealed that he "ultimately" was not selected.
He said: "which was disappointing, but I view it as a step forward."
For Samarth, the journey of acceptance has been ongoing.
"I am confident in my eyes and truly love them," he stated, emphasising the importance of self-acceptance in an industry that often imposes rigid standards.
Samarth, who was raised in Indore, tried to follow the footsteps of his father by pursuing a career in Cricket in 2018. After playing Cricket for years, the actor then moved to Mumbai. He started with modeling, followed by becoming an actor.
In his journey, the actor has appeared in TV series such as "Prem Bandhan", "Anupamaa", "Taftish", "Udaariyaan", followed by a lead role of Harsh Tiwari in "Maitree" in 2023. He also appeared in the reality show "Bigg Boss 17 as a wild-card entry.