India, April 28 -- The early 90s was a period of transition for Indian cinema. As established superstars in most major industries were ageing, young blood was being cast to fill the place. Among these youngsters was a teenager, who made his entry as a 'hero' at the young age of 15. He became a star immediately and was talked of as the 'next big thing'. Yet, by the age of 26, his best as an actor was behind him.

Harish Kumar began his acting career as a child artist in the late 70s. Working predominantly in Telugu films, Harish also appeared in a handful of Hindi and Kannada films over the next eight years. In 1988, he transitioned to lead actor roles at 13. After a couple of hits and misses, he found success with the 1990 Telugu hit Prem...