Latest news with #ShamKaushal
News18
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Earned Rs 500 For Betaab, Survived On Re 1 Meals - Now His Son's Film Made Rs 800 Crore
In the late 1970s, a young man arrived in Mumbai with a borrowed Rs 3,000, a degree in English Literature, and a stomach that often went half-empty. His first job paid him just Rs 350 a month. After a long commute by train and bus, he was left with barely a rupee for meals. Misal pav and batata vada became daily staples. Cigarettes were out of reach; he survived on ten-paise bidis. That man was Sham Kaushal. Today, his son Vicky Kaushal headlines films that rake in over Rs 800 crore at the global box office. (News18 Hindi) The story of Sham Kaushal is a painful road marked by hunger, rejection, and sheer persistence. Before becoming one of Bollywood's most respected action directors, Kaushal had no connections in the film industry. In fact, he never even planned to be a part of it. Back in Punjab, after completing his Master's, Kaushal had hoped to be a lecturer. But money was tight. (News18 Hindi) So, in 1978, he took a train to Mumbai. He landed a sales job in Chembur for Rs 350 a month. But even that slipped away. After being fired a year later, Kaushal made two promises to himself: he would never take another job and he would never leave Mumbai. (News18 Hindi) He met Veeru Devgan - then a well-known action director - who took a liking to Kaushal and hired him informally. Kaushal began as a helper, fetching tea and carrying bags, eventually getting involved in choreographing fight scenes. He was unpaid at first, but he saw it as an education. Later, he trained under Pappu Verma, another action stalwart. (News18 Hindi) His first real break came with 1983's 'Betaab', starring Sunny Deol. For the first time, he earned Rs 500, a windfall compared to the peanuts he had been paid before. From there, his career slowly picked up momentum. By the 1990s, Sham Kaushal had become a regular name in action departments across Bollywood. (News18 Hindi) But fate wasn't done testing him. During the shoot of 'Lakshya' in Ladakh, Kaushal collapsed in pain. He was diagnosed with cancer, and for a moment, considered ending his life. He told no one in the industry, fearing he'd be blacklisted. He prayed only for time, to raise his sons. After multiple surgeries, the cancer didn't spread. He survived. (News18 Hindi) More than two decades later, Sham Kaushal's journey has come full circle. His son Vicky is among the top names in Hindi cinema. His film 'Chhaava' has reportedly grossed Rs 807.88 crore globally, according to Sacnilk. Sham, who once swept studio floors and lived out of his office because he couldn't afford rent, now watches from the sidelines as his son competes with the likes of Ajay Devgn, whose father once mentored him. (News18 Hindi) Today, Sham Kaushal is the father of two Bollywood actors, Vicky Kaushal and Sunny Kaushal and his daughter-in-law is none other than Katrina Kaif, who married Vicky in 2021. The family's story is no fairy tale. It's built on borrowed money, bidi smoke, sleepless nights, and quiet resilience. (News18 Hindi)
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
He earned Rs 350 a month, survived on Rs 1 meals; now his son's last movie earned over Rs 800 crore
Synopsis Sham Kaushal, now a renowned Bollywood action director, began his journey in Mumbai with just Rs 3,000, surviving on Re 1 meals and earning Rs 350 a month. After working unpaid as an assistant and struggling through poverty, he eventually found work in the film industry through the Stuntman Association. Despite battling cancer later in life, Kaushal remained resilient. Today, his son Vicky Kaushal is a leading actor, with his latest film Chhaava grossing over Rs 800 crore worldwide. Sham Kaushal Before he became one of Bollywood's most respected action directors, Sham Kaushal lived a life of hardship that many wouldn't associate with the father of a movie star. Arriving in Mumbai in 1978 with just Rs 3,000—borrowed by his father—Kaushal had a single goal: to repay the debt. Originally aspiring to be a lecturer after completing his MA in English Literature in Punjab, Kaushal's plans were cut short due to financial revealed in a recent podcast with Aman Aujla, he found a job as a salesman in Mumbai earning Rs 350 a month. His daily routine involved taking two buses and a train to reach his office in Chembur, leaving him with just Re 1 for both lunch and dinner. Kaushal often ate misal pav and batata vada, priced at just a few paise. Cigarettes were out of reach; he settled for 10-paisa bidis he couldn't afford the deposit for a chawl, he began living in his office and walked daily to a friend's place in Ghatkopar just to change clothes. He had only two trousers and three shirts. A year later, he was laid off, which became a turning point. With low self-confidence and poor communication skills, he made two decisions: never to work a job again and never to leave path shifted when he befriended a few fellow Punjabis working as stuntmen. They encouraged him to join the Stuntman Association in 1980. The Rs 1,000 membership fee was raised through multiple friends. This led to his first opportunities in the film after, he came into contact with Veeru Devgan, a well-known action director. Veeru saw Kaushal's potential and informally hired him. Kaushal assisted him, doing everything from carrying bags to bringing tea. Over time, Veeru added his name to fight sequences, allowing him to start earning. Later, Kaushal joined Pappu Verma to learn more about stunt direction, though he wasn't paid during that began working regularly around 1983, performing stunts and doubling for actors. His big break came with Sunny Deol's Betaab, where his performance earned him Rs 500—five times the usual pay. This marked the beginning of a steady career that peaked in the later, while shooting in Ladakh for Lakshya, Kaushal experienced severe abdominal pain. At an army hospital, doctors gave him a grim outlook, leaving him so distraught that he briefly considered ending his life. He was recovering from surgery and physically unable to act on the kept his diagnosis private, fearing it would affect his career. He turned to prayer, asking for just ten more years to raise his young children. Eventually, he underwent several surgeries, and the cancer did not spread. That decade turned into more than twenty years of life and Sham Kaushal is the proud father of two Bollywood actors—Vicky Kaushal and Sunny Kaushal and his daughter-in-law is none other than Katrina Kaif, who married Vicky in 2021. Vicky, in particular, has achieved massive box office success. His recent film Chhaava earned Rs 807.88 crore worldwide, as reported by Sacnilk. It's a significant milestone not just for Vicky but for the entire Kaushal working unpaid as an assistant to Veeru Devgan, Kaushal has now seen his son competing with Devgan's son, Ajay Devgn, at the box office. His story is a rare example of grit, transformation, and quiet perseverance—an inspiring journey from Rs 350 a month to a legacy worth crores.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bollywood's leading action director survived on Re 1 for meals, worked as spot boy to Ajay Devgn's father, wasn't paid
Action director Sham Kaushal became a prominent name in the industry in the 1980s and 1990s. However, his journey to fame was not as easy. Born into a middle class family, Sham completed his MA in English Literature at a university in Punjab and wanted to become a lecturer. However, the profession needed another degree, M Phil, for which he had to travel to Chandigarh. But he didn't have the money for the hostel fees. This shattered his dreams, and he began to look for jobs in Punjab, and learnt typing. But none of this helped him. A year later, a friend suggested that he travel to Mumbai. During this time, his father borrowed Rs 3000 and gave it to him. Now, Sham's only goal was to repay his father's loan. But, life in Mumbai was difficult. ALSO READ | Sholay actor had to sift through rat sh*t so he could eat bread crumbs, slept on the streets, sold kites to make a living: 'Khaane ko paise nahi the' He recalled in a podcast with Aman Aujla, 'When I came to Bombay, I saw the struggle. I didn't have money for several days, yet I never slept on an empty stomach. Many people helped me. I went to Bombay in 1978. I stayed with my friends in a chawl. At that time, with help from one of my relatives, I got a job of a salesman. My salary was Rs 350 per month. I had to take about two buses, and a train to reach my office in Chembur. I would be left with just Re 1 for lunch and dinner. I used to eat misal pav for dinner outside my work as they charged 15 paisa per pav. And then I ate batata vada for dinner. I also used to be a smoker, I loved cigarettes, but couldn't afford them. So bought bidi worth 10 paisa.' Soon, he had to leave the chawl as he didn't have the money to pay for the deposit. He started to live in his office and kept his luggage at a friend's place in Ghatkopar, where he walked every day to change. 'I just had 2 trousers and 3 shirts.' But, he was laid off after a year. ALSO READ | Supermodel, who played Sridevi's husband, quit Bollywood after receiving immense hate for a 10-second scene 'A year later, my office laid me off because I lacked confidence. I couldn't communicate well. I had inferiority complex. It was after this incident, I decided I will never take up job again. I couldn't speak on calls. So I made two decisions: To never join another job, and to never quit Bombay. This became my strength. I knew Bombay is everything for me. I didn't want to return to Punjab.' Sham's struggles continued for sometime until he made friends with a couple of other Punjabis at a PG he was staying at. He also made friends with someone who worked at an eatery; the friend would feed him every day. 'I didn't have money, but friends always helped me. There I made a friend with a person at an eatery in Santa Cruz, they would feed me. It was next to a PG. Once, while walking to the eatery, I came across a gift shop where they had this thing on which it was written: 'If God closes one door, he opens 10 others.' This line left an impact on me. I ended up buying that thing for Re 1.' He added, 'That PG was home to a couple of more guys from Punjab. They worked as stuntmen in films. I became friends with them. In 1980, they made me a member of Stuntman Association. They told me, you can think of a business later, but as of now you can just do some work here, it will at least earn you your daily bread. That's how I got into the film industry. They charged Rs 1000 to make you the member of the association, which I borrowed from many of my friends and paid.' ALSO READ | Bollywood icon got 'married' at 13 to man three decades her senior, watched her infant daughter die, converted to Islam after seeing dreams After this, he met Veeru Devgan, a renowned action director. Veeru invited him over for a meal, and wordlessly offered him a job. 'He got to know that I have done MA in English. Then he offered me a job in his office. I accompanied him everywhere he went. I had become more like his spot boy. I carried his bag, I would bring him tea, water. We became close. He would then add my names with other fighters in films. Because of him, I started to earn money. Eventually, when I started to make money, I realised maybe this is what God wanted for me. Then it occurred to me that I can become a stunt director. I left Veeru Devgan, and then joined Pappu Varma. They were new. I joined them. I learnt the ropes there for 2 years. I wasn't paid any money.' It was during this time that he met actors Jackie Shroff and Anupam Kher. 'Two years later, I began to receive work. From 1983, I started to work as a stuntman, I also played duplicates to actors. In the '90s, I received my break as a stunt director.' ALSO READ | Bollywood directors survived on Rs 80 per day after father was duped by uncle, hosted Shah Rukh Khan at their chawl and 2000 fans gathered outside Sham recalled his first outdoor shoot as a stuntman, which became a turning point in his life. 'I worked as a fighter in Sunny Deol's Betaab. We travelled to Mysuru. This was my first outdoor shoot. I didn't really know to do stunts. But, it was my luck, a scene with Sunny Deol worked. It impressed my boss. I received Rs 500 instead of Rs 100 for that day's shoot.' While Sham was not very confident about his craft, his dedication to help his parents change their lifestyle kept him motivated. He shared, 'I made sure to repay the loan my dad took to send me to Bombay. It was only after that I left my job as a salesman.' While Sham once worked as Veeru Devgan's assistant, his son Vicky Kaushal's latest film grossed more than those of Veeru's son, Ajay Devgn.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone's fire scene in Om Shanti Om had action director Sham Kaushal crying on set: ‘What if something happened'
The grand fire scene during the interval block of Farah Khan's 2007 blockbuster reincarnation saga Om Shanti Om is one of the most memorable action set pieces in the history of Hindi cinema. It had Shah Rukh Khan's character Om enter a huge film set on fire by Arjun Rampal's Mukesh in order to save his love interest, Deepika Padukone's Shantipriya. While it was thrilling to watch on the big screen, the film's action director Sham Kaushal remembers it differently. He recently confessed that set in Mumbai's Film City was so risk-prone that it made him cry several times on set. 'There wasn't so much of VFX back in 2007. We had to light the fire on that set, where Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, three camerapersons, and 60 members of my unit were inside the set. So, there were around 100 people inside the set that was on fire,' Sham recalled. On the podcast of Aman Aujla, Sham claimed that set piece in Om Shanti Om was one of the most 'testing' of his long, illustrious career. 'There were so many moments of stress because you also had to put off the fire within seconds of lighting it. If someone commits a mistake anywhere, it could be very disastrous. I swear by God, there were so many times I'd go to the side and cry. I felt I'd get a heart attack,' added Sham. He added that he got so tense because the entire unit's trust was resting on him. He prayed to Lord Hanuman to keep all of them safe. Sham claimed he considers the members of the unit as his own kids. 'Humans have little control over both fire and water. I get a little scared every time I do a stunt with fire or water. No one should get hurt because nothing is beyond safety,' added Sham. Sham revealed that the tricky area with fire stunts is the timing. They had to light up the set four to five times a day while filming, but also had to put it off within seconds. 'For example, in Dunki, there was a scene in which Vicky (Kaushal, son) had to run with him on fire. It's just a matter of few seconds. Those who extinguish the fire are more committed than those who light it. Even if they burn their hands, they don't step back because they know how grave their job is,' said Sham. Also Read — Vicky Kaushal's father Sham Kaushal was ready to end his life after cancer diagnosis: 'The doctor shared that I won't survive' While promoting his 2023 film Dunki, director Rajkumar Hirani also revealed Sham Kaushal was terribly stressed about the scene in which his team had to put his son Vicky Kaushal on fire, again during the interval block of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. Hirani said that Sham gets particularly worried as an action director while working with his family.
India.com
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Vicky Kaushals Father Sham Kaushal Reveals He Thought About Suicide After Cancer Diagnosis: Wanted to Jump From Third Floor
New Delhi: Vicky Kaushal's father and veteran stunt director Sham Kaushal recently opened up about a deeply emotional and vulnerable phase in his life when he had suicidal thoughts following a cancer diagnosis. In a candid conversation on a podcast with Aman Aujla, Sham recalled that during the shoot of the film Lakshya in Ladakh, he suddenly experienced severe stomach pain and was rushed to an army hospital. What was initially thought to be a routine issue turned out to be something far more serious cancer. He shared that after undergoing a three-hour surgery to remove a suspicious growth from his stomach, doctors informed him that the condition was critical, and they weren't sure he would survive. It was after receiving this news that Sham, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, had suicidal thoughts. 'They informed me in the evening, and at night, I had this wild thought of jumping from the third floor of the hospital where my room was situated. I didn't make the decision out of weakness, but thought when I have to die anyway, why not now? But I couldn't move due to the pain post-surgery,' Sham said. The veteran action director also revealed that in that moment, he hoped give him just 10 more years to live. 'After that night, something changed. I overcame the fear of death. The next morning, I gained the hope that it's just a matter of a couple of surgeries, and I'll be alright. That incident changed my entire outlook on life and strengthened my willpower.' Sham revealed that over the course of a year, he underwent multiple surgeries and tests but remained strong. Thankfully, the cancer had not spread. He credits that difficult phase for shaping his personal and professional journey. 'I asked God to bless me with 10 more years, and today it's been 22. I met good people, received good work, my kids have done well I grew in life,' he added. Sham Kaushal's Work Front Sham Kaushal is one of India's most respected action directors, with over four decades of experience in both Bollywood and Hollywood. His debut as an action director was in the Malayalam film Indrajaalam (1990). In Bollywood, his work includes critically acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), PK (2014), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), Padmaavat (2018), Sanju (2018), and Simmba (2018). He has also worked internationally, notably on the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire (2008).
