Today, we will highlight the story of this man, whose life was filled with hardships until he became one of Bollywood’s most respected action directors.
He came to Mumbai with just Rs 3000 in his pocket, borrowed by his father, and had a single goal to just repay the debt. His first job paid him just Rs 350, and was barely left with any money for meals. Well, Misal pav and batata vada became his survival foods, and had some money left to smoke bidis. Well, the man was Sham Kaushal. Today, his son, Vicky Kaushal, has become one of the most prominent actors in Bollywood.
Originally aspiring to be a lecturer after completing his Masters in English Literature, Kaushal’s plans got faded due to financial distress. In 1978, he relocated to Mumbai from Punjab. He secured a job in sales for Rs 350 a month. His daily routine to commute through buses and trains would unfortunately leave him with just Rs 1 for both lunch and dinner. He often used to settle for misal pav and batata vada, priced at just few money. Cigarettes were out of reach; so he survived on just ten-paise bidis instead.
Sham Kaushal’s journey into films
Sham Kaushal’s path shifted when some Punjab acquaintances who worked as stuntmen, encouraged him to join their union for Rs 1000. This led to him grabbing further opportunities in the film industry. Soon, he was hired by Ajay Devgn’s father, Veeru Devgan, who was a well-know action director. He started as a helper, serving tea and carrying bags, eventually choregraphing fight sequences, allowing him to earn some good money.
Battle with Cancer
Later, he was trained under another famous stunt director, Pappu Verma. He began working regularly, and received his first break with Sunny Deol’s Betaab, where his performance earned him Rs 500. At the beginning of his career, another tragedy stuck in Kaushal’s life, when he was diagnosed with cancer. As devastated after hearing this, he briefly considered to end his life. He decided to tell no one in the industry, fearing it would end his career. After several surgeries, the cancer didn’t spread, and he survived.
Two decades later, Sham Kaushal’s journey came full circle. Today, he is the proud father of two Bollywood actors- Vicky Kaushal and Sunny Kaushal. His son, Vicky, is married to Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif. He is one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars, with reported new worth that sits around Rs 140 crore.