Kamal Haasan's Hey Ram co-star Abbas opens up about quitting acting, going bankrupt

Abbas, who has been missing from the film industry for nearly eight years, opened up about his life after he stepped away from showbiz. The former actor began his career with the Tamil film Kadhal Desam in 1996. He has also been part of several films across the Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada film industries.

3 things you need to know

• Abbas was last seen in the 2015 Malayalam film Pachakkallam.
• He has also appeared in two Tamil TV shows - Dharmayutham and Vaidehi.
• Abbas is known for his role in Kamal Haasan's Hey Ram.

Abbas on distancing himself from the film industry

Speaking to Galatta Plus, the former actor revealed that he was just 19 when he debuted in the film industry. he said he tasted success early on. However, some of his films failed, leaving him financially destitute. Owing to this, he was unable to afford basic necessities such as house rent. 

(A still from the film Hey Ram | Image: Twitter)

Elaborating on why he left the industry, Abbas said that initially, he didn't seek any help from his colleagues due to his "pride". However, he then approached producer RB Choudary for work, and the latter offered him the opportunity to be part of the film Pooveli (1998), starring Karthik and Kausalya.

Abbas on doing menial jobs abroad

After doing some films and TV shows, Abbas said he "got bored" and wasn't enjoying his work. That is when he decided to quit acting and planned on settling abroad. "I distinctly recall advising my friends, who came to watch my Bollywood debut film Ansh: The Deadly Part (2002) not to waste their time as I considered it to be bakavas,” the former actor continued.

(Abbas moved to New Zealand after quitting acting | Image: Twitter)

He added that on four separate occasions, he faced bankruptcy. “In order to provide for my family, I worked as a bike mechanic and drove taxis in New Zealand,” the former actor said.

Abbas's filmography

Abbas featured in several hit films such as Padayappa (1999), Hey Ram (2000), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Aanandham (2001) and Minnale (2001). He was last seen in the 2015 film Pachakkallam, starring Maqbool Salmaan, Royaz Khan and others.