The mid-90s were a period of transition for Tamil cinema. The reigning stars – Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan – were now in their 40s, no longer suited for some of the ‘younger’ heartthrob roles that romantic films demanded. This led to the emergence of a new generation of stars, including Vijay, Ajith Kumar, Arvind Swamy, and R Madhavan. All of these went on to have long and successful careers over the next three decades. But there was another, who, for a time, challenged his contemporaries. Yet, his career was cut short by a combination of bad choices and worse luck.
The heartthrob who almost became a superstar
Mirza Abbas Ali, born in West Bengal, began modelling in 1994 while still in college. In 1996, he debuted with the Tamil film Kadhal Desam, a critical and commercial success. Abbas was immediately dubbed ‘heartthrob’ by the media, which led to a deluge of offers. He starred in Priya O Priya, Raja, and Rajahamsa in Telugu and Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu, Padayappa, and Suyamvaram in Tamil. All of these were huge box-office successes. After doing a small role in Kamal Haasan and Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Hey Ram, Abbas found his biggest break with Kandukondain Kandukondain. The romantic drama featured him opposite Aishwarya Rai and also featured Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, and Tabu. The following year, he was the second lead in Minnale, another hit. He also made his Bollywood debut with the 2002 release Ansh, but it was not a box-office success. By the mid-2000s, Abbas was considered one of the most bankable actors in Tamil cinema.
Abbas’ sudden career decline
However, Abbas’ career came to a stall around 2006. He left several Tamil films at his peak to star in Hindi cinema. But his only two Hindi films – Ansh and Aur Phir – failed. The other films he signed ended up being shelved. This led to a long gap in his films as a lead star. Against the advice of his inner circle, Abbas took on several supporting roles in Tamil and Telugu films, often playing second leads to actors less popular than him (such as to the newcomer R Madhavan in Minnale and with Jeevan in Thiruttu Payale). Over the next few years, Abbas was sidelined to cameos and supporting roles in Telugu films. After 2011, the actor saw many of his films in the lead role being shelved. He moved to television shows. Years later, speaking with the YouTube channel Rednool, he said he was disenchanted with acting at the time and, hence, quit and moved to New Zealand.
Abbas’ tough life in New Zealand
Abbas landed in New Zealand around 2015 but had to work in several menial jobs after he lost all his money. In an interview with Rednool in 2022, he recalled working at a construction site, training as a mechanic, and even tending the cash register at a petrol pump there for years. He eventually became a motivational speaker. In 2023, Abbas returned to India and expressed his interest in returning to acting. However, he has not yet signed a new project. He lives with his family in Chennai.