Adil Hussain explains how failure forges success
Mumbai, July 28
Actor Adil Hussain, who can be seen in the recently released film 'Max, Min and Meowzaki', has spoken about failure, and its importance in the life of a person.
The actor spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film in the city, and said that failure forges a person to become a better version of themselves.
He told IANS, "I think failure is also a testament that you have tried, and we can only try. I don't think anything else is more important than attempting to do something, which you really feel like doing, something which you feel, like my inner calling, right from the age of 14, I wanted to act. People would call me an actor, but I just wanted to act. I continued to do that, I failed, got criticized, got shouted at, got thrown out of productions, but also received love from many people, directors, and friends. But if I would have left after the first criticism, in my childhood, when I was 14 years old, and took it to my ego, then I wouldn't have been sitting here and talking to you about it. So I think attempting something which you truly love to do is probably the only possible thing you can do".
He then spoke about the Japanese philosophy about failure, and how the definition of success is very subjective.
He further mentioned, "And there is a philosophy in Japan called the nobility of failure. It says that there is this nobility in failure because that means you have tried something, and you attempted, and you couldn't succeed. What is your definition of success? Is it that you've done something and it was accepted by the audience? Does it mean you're successful? Will others define you as a successful person? Or I would define myself".
"For me, what is successful or success is that when I feel I have attempted, I tried, I am not the best, and I am able to accept it, that I am not the best with grace and with knowledge. And I can sleep at night well without any help of alcohol or any kind of medicine. That's success for me", he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So true, especially the part about sleeping without alcohol or medicine. We Indians live under so much pressure to succeed that we forget to be kind to ourselves. His journey from Assam's small town to Bollywood is proof that persistence matters more than instant success. 👏
I respect his honesty, but let's be real—society doesn't celebrate failure. You try something and fail, everyone judges you. Maybe actors can afford this philosophy, but for a middle-class guy trying to start a business, failure means debt and shame. Still, I appreciate the sentiment.
This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Just failed my CA exam for the third time and been feeling like a loser. Adil sir's words about attempting being more important than success—I'm saving this article. Japan's 'nobility of failure' is beautiful. 🇯🇵💪
The Japanese philosophy he mentioned is something we desperately need here. Our parents love saying 'log kya kahenge' (what will people say). We need to redefine success on our own terms, not society's. And yes, sleeping peacefully without medicines is true success. 🙌
Adil Hussain has always been an underrated gem. From 'Life of Pi' to 'English Vinglish', he's shown range. But I disagree slightly—failure is good only if you learn from it. Blindly pursuing passion without introspection is just stupidity. Balance is key.
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