Jitin Gulati is a familiar face in the entertainment industry, but before this fame, he too was another corporate employee with a dream. But deep down, a creative spark was always pushing him towards the spotlight. In an exclusive chat with The Hans India, Jitin opens up about his early days in showbiz, from discovering the nuances of modeling to bagging his first ad, and the sheer joy of simply being on a set.
A Chance Discovery and a Leap of Faith
Jitin, recalling his early days, says, “In modelling, there were three things. There was commercial modelling, there was TVC modelling, which is your TV commercials, and then there’s fashion modelling. I did not know this.”
It was during 2008-09 that Jitin began flipping through magazine pages, taking note of photographers whose work stood out to him. One such name was top fashion photographer Vishesh Verma. “I messaged him, and he was kind enough to refer me to two people. That’s how it began,” he shares.
Balancing Banking by Day, Auditions by Night
At the time, Jitin was still working a full-time job. “ I would work from 9 to 6 and every evening 6.30 to 10.30 I would be auditioning. I would be in lines and I would be making sure that I could audition. Even if I was not fitting something, I was auditioning. My first gig happened after two months of auditioning.”
His perseverance paid off. Two months into his hustle, Jitin landed his first gig – a TV commercial for a financial magazine.
The Big Day… Almost
“I was so excited,” he says, smiling at the memory. “It was a proper audition with lines, and I really thought I was one of the central characters.” However, when he arrived on set, reality looked a bit different. “I was actually just standing behind the main girl. And when the ad came out, I wasn’t even in the edit!”
Despite that, Jitin’s joy remained undiminished. “I was just somebody standing in the background, somewhere in the frame. I was not even a part of the main thing (ad). But I was very happy that I was there. I was not in the edit. I am not in the ad. If you see that ad today, I think it was released in 2009 for Forbes magazine. You might just see me, my half-face, standing behind the main girl.”
The Thrill of the First Set Experience
That day held more significance than just screen time. “It was the second time in my life I had entered a vanity van. The first time was for my portfolio shoot,” he recalls. “And here I was, getting my measurements taken, doing wardrobe trials, sitting through hair and makeup. I thought, this is it. This is my moment.”
The best part? He remembers the date vividly and even his first pay cheque- a modest ₹3,500.
Looking Back with Gratitude
Years later, with a successful career behind him, Jitin still remains positive towards life and sees the journey with gratitude. But his story is a powerful reminder of humble beginnings, relentless passion, and cherishing small wins- even if you’re just a blur in the background.
“I did not care where I was in the frame. I was just happy to be on a set.”
And that’s how stars are made ; one unnoticed frame at a time.