From waiting tables to becoming a popular TV star in China, this Uttarakhand man's tale of perseverance makes for classroom study

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

China and has found an honourable mention in Chinese school textbooks! The rags-to-riches story of Dev Raturi is no doubt, a tale for the ages. Hailing from Kemriya Saur, a little hamlet located at a remote corner in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal district, this die-hard Bruce Lee fan wanted to follow in the footsteps of his idol and make a name as a karate champion. However, money was short. After a failed audition for a role in a Hindi movie in 1998, Raturi decided to dedicate himself to karate. He did various menial jobs in Delhi for a decade, before saving enough to migrate to China. He eventually landed a job as a waiter in an Indian restaurant in Shenzhen in 2005.

Raturi wanted to enroll in the Shaolin Temple, an iconic monastery, which is often considered to be the cradle of Kung Fu. However, being short of funds, he had to put his dreams on the back burner. “I had no option but to persevere. I worked hard for the next seven years, gained proficiency in Mandarin, and rose to the rank of manager at a high-end restaurant,” he told Times Of India. Eventually, he managed to open his own restaurant, Red Fort.

As luck would have it, one fine day, a Chinese film-maker became a patron of the restaurant in 2017. Raturi eventually landed a small role in a TV series named ‘SWAT’. This proved to be a huge success. Since then, Raturi has acted in over 35 Chinese films and TV serials, including the popular sitcom ‘My Roommate Is A Detective’. Moreover, he has made a name of himself as a foodpreneur, and owns eight restaurants! “My work in Chinese cinema helped me become a popular face. I have received immense love from the locals, who helped me during the Covid19 pandemic. They