Internet sensation Uorfi Javed recently opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life. From her struggling days in the television industry to becoming one of social media's biggest fashion influencers, Uorfi spoke candidly about her journey. During an honest conversation with Soha Ali Khan on her podcast, Uorfi recalled her early struggles and revealed how she had always dreamed of becoming a star and living a luxurious life.
Running Away from an Abusive Home
Uorfi revealed that she ran away from home due to her father's abusive behavior. She said, 'Honestly, since childhood, I always dreamed of doing something big and becoming successful. But I was born into a conservative family, so I felt those dreams could never come true. I ran away from home. Not because I wanted to become an actor, but because my father was very abusive and I just wanted to escape that environment.' After leaving home, she moved to Delhi, where she took up small jobs, gave tuition classes, and even worked at a call centre.
Struggles in Mumbai and the Television Industry
Uorfi always had Mumbai on her mind. When she finally arrived, she decided to try her luck with auditions. She stayed with friends and kept her expectations low, hoping to land a lead role in a TV show, buy a house, get a car, and settle down. She admitted that deep inside, she wanted to become a Bollywood actor but believed it was impossible without connections. 'I feel films are not easily offered to outsiders through auditions,' she said. She added that outsiders rarely get the opportunity to audition, and even if they do, it takes years of persistence. 'Maybe if you keep auditioning for 10 years, something might happen, but I didn't have that kind of time or money.'
Low Earnings and Lack of Recognition
During her time in the television industry, Uorfi earned just Rs 40,000 a month. She described the experience as 'very bad,' noting that side actors are often not treated well. 'If you are not a star or the lead actor, people don't really value you,' she said. Despite managing her expenses and running her house on that income, she was not satisfied. She always felt she was meant for bigger things and wanted to be in the spotlight.
Turning Point: Social Media and Viral Fame
With the rise of social media, Uorfi started creating DIY fashion content. She used to cut old T-shirts and make outfits herself, even stitching clothes because she enjoyed sewing. She participated in Bigg Boss OTT but was eliminated within a week. During the show, she made a dress out of a garbage bag for fun, and that look went viral. After leaving the show, she knew the paparazzi and media would only cover her for a month, so she decided to make the most of it. 'I kept thinking that I had just one month to do something memorable,' she recalled.
Going Viral and Facing Criticism
By chance, one of her reels went viral where she was seen wearing a sports bra with a jacket at the airport. She didn't realize it would become such a huge issue. Headlines everywhere talked about her outfit, and people criticized her a lot. However, she felt that being talked about was still better than being ignored. 'That is when I slowly moved in that direction. There was no major PR strategy behind it,' she said.
Financial Success and Continued Growth
Uorfi worked with a guy who had just started his PR company, and both were equally clueless. They were just happy that articles were coming out, people were watching her videos, and everyone was talking about her. She never planned her image like celebrities usually do. At that time, she didn't even know how important image-building was for brand deals. She only knew that people had started recognizing her and she was finally earning much more than before. 'Earlier, I used to earn Rs 40,000 a month, and suddenly I was getting deals worth lakhs. I started earning Rs 2 lakh a month. So, I just continued doing more content because people had finally started noticing me,' she concluded.
