His first film was a big hit, but later, he did not have money to buy food: How he bounced back in life; now owns many luxury houses, villas

Today, he is one of the highest-paid stars on television. But once upon a time, Ronit Roy didn’t have enough money to purchase food on a daily basis. In a candid interview with The Humans Of Bombay, ‘ Bade Acche Lagtein Hain’ actor Ram Kapoor spilled the beans on how rich top TV stars are. He revealed that although TV actors are nowhere paid as much as their big-screen counterparts, if one is at the top of their game and has invested wisely, they can afford a life of luxury and accumulate enough money to last generations.

Taking the example of himself, his ‘Bade Acchein Lagte Hain’ co-star Sakshi Tanwar, and ‘Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ actor Ronit Roy, Kapoor revealed that all three of them earn enough to live life king-size and ensure their families do not have to worry about money for generations.

In the same interview, the actor also revealed Roy struggled a lot to reach the pinnacle of success, and as he gained prominence on the small screen after a stagnant Bollywood career, he gave it his best shot and didn’t take it for granted.

“People like a Ronit… He has a lot of houses, vacation homes, and such a fantastic villa in Goa. He has been sensible because he started in films, and he didn’t make it in films. He was a flop actor in films, and he didn’t have money to eat. Then Ektaa Kapoor took him on. On television, he never looked back. He had seen failure, so when he got success, he respected it from day one," he revealed.

In a 2023 interview with Lehren Retro, Roy opened up on his battle with alcoholism. Roy, who tasted overnight success with his debut film ‘Jaan Tere Naam’ (1992), admitted he couldn’t maintain the momentum, and as his offers began to dry up, he took to the bottle to cope.

Roy said, “When you are drinking, you make a host of other mistakes. One mistake I never made is that I have never been late for a shoot, but despite arriving on time, I didn’t have my faculties around me because I would be drinking four hours before the shoot.”

Looking back on one of the most turbulent chapters of his life, Ronit Roy opened up about the personal turmoil that once consumed him. Despite his longstanding reputation for arriving on time, he admitted there were days he stepped onto the set reeling from hours of alcohol consumption. Beneath the surface of his outward discipline lay a troubling truth—his nights of indulgence had begun to silently sabotage the very professionalism he prided himself on.

The contrast between his public persona and private reality was stark. While he maintained a deep sense of duty towards his viewers and the craft of acting, his actions began to drift away from that dedication. The toll of his late-night dependencies had begun to seep into his work, signaling an internal battle that was reaching a breaking point.

In the heart of his professional rise, it wasn’t fame or failure that shook him—it was fear. A visceral, haunting fear that, if ever faced with a family emergency or a friend in dire need, he might be too impaired to help. This unsettling realization didn’t just stir regret; it became a turning point. It ignited something stronger than guilt—a need for change. Ronit recognized that continuing on this destructive path would come at the cost of those he loved most.

It was this fear—rooted in love and responsibility—that became his compass out of addiction. Slowly but deliberately, he began to steer his life away from alcohol's grip. The shift wasn’t dramatic or performative; it was intentional and personal. He chose to face his vulnerabilities head-on and reimagine a life built on strength, not suppression.

Roy made a successful comeback to the big screen in 2010 with the coming-of-age film ‘Udaan.’ His performance as Bhairav Singh, the stern, unscrupulous father who inflicts terror on his two sons, was unanimously praised by critics.

Roy was last seen in the 2025 horror drama ‘Maa’ opposite Bollywood actress Kajol.