Survived on Rs 1 Meals, Earned Just Rs 500 for His Debut- Now His Son’s Film Earns Over Rs 800 Crore
There was a time when this person barely had anything to eat. He literally survived on Rs 1 meals. Life was tough, but he never gave up. Now the times have changed, His son’s film has crossed ₹800 crore! This is a real-life story of dreams coming true.
Humble Beginnings in Mumbai
In late 1970s, a young man came to Mumbai with just Rs 3,000, which he had borrowed, an English Literature degree in hand, and an empty stomach most days. His first job paid only Rs 350 a month. After spending on train and bus travel, he barely had one rupee left for food.
Promised Himself to Never Leave Mumbai
The young man took a train in 1978 and came to Mumbai. He got a sales job in Chembur that just paid Rs 350 a month. But that didn’t last long; he got fired after a year. The hustle in the dreams of the city is now becoming harder, but he never gave up. That’s when he promised himself never to leave Mumbai. That man was none other than Sham Kaushal. Today, his son Vicky Kaushal is one of Bollywood’s top stars.
Sham Kaushal- Top action directors
Sham Kaushal had no links to the film industry. In fact, he never even thought about working in movies. After finishing his Master’s degree in Punjab, he wanted to become a college lecturer. But destiny had other plans and led him to a path of one of Bollywood’s top action directors.
First Steps in Bollywood
Some Punjabi friends who worked as stuntmen told him to try joining their union. The joining fee was Rs 1,000—something he couldn’t afford then. But his friends helped by pitching in money. That one step brought him onto Bollywood sets, and his journey in films began.
Breakthrough with 'Betaab'
He was hired by well-known director Veeru Devgan as an unpaid helper and later he trained under Pappur Verma. His first big break came in 1983 with the film Betaab, which starred Sunny Deol. He earned Rs 500 for it — way more than what he used to get before. From there, things slowly started getting better. By the 1990s, Sham Kaushal had become a well-known name in the action teams of many Bollywood movies.
Cancer and Survival
But life had more challenges for him. While shooting the film Lakshya in Ladakh, Sham Kaushal discovered that he had cancer. He didn’t tell anyone in the film industry because he was scared he might stop getting work. All he asked for was more time—just enough to raise his sons. Luckily, after several surgeries, he survived the tragedy.
Vicky Kaushal- Power Pack of Blockbusters
Now his son, Vicky Kaushal, is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood. Vicky has given many blockbuster hits, including Uri: The Surgical Strike, Sardar Udham, Chhaava, and others.
Disclaimer
The information in this story is based on publicly available sources and media reports. This content is for informational and storytelling purposes only and does not intend to harm or defame any individual.
