There’s not much that’s more inspiring than a good rags-to-riches story, and some of the humblest beginnings can be found amongst the biggest Bollywood stars.
Sometimes we envy celebrities for having perfect lives. Little do we know, however, that a lot of these stars despite now raking in millions and living lavish lives, were once very ordinary people and have struggled just like the rest of us.
We know believing that is easier said than done, so we collected the following stories of famous celebrities who definitely never gave up.
All these stars are now household names, but they didn’t become one easily. Read on and get inspired!
Neha Kakkar
Neha Kakkar is the one peppy voiced singer we can’t miss listening to. But her life was not all filled with glamour and sparkle that we see today. She was an ordinary girl with a simple family. Recently, she took to Instagram to share a heartfelt note on owning a bungalow in Rishikesh.
She wrote, “This is the Bungalow we Own now in #Rishikesh and Swipe Right to see the house where I was Born. In the same house We Kakkar’s used to stay in a 1 Room inside which My Mother had put a table which was our kitchen in that small room. And that Room also was not our own, we were paying rent. And Now Whenever I see Our Own Bungalow in the Same City, I always get Emotional. #SelfMade #NehaKakkar Biggest Thanks to My Family @sonukakkarofficial @tonykakkar Mom Dad Mata Rani (God) and Ofcourse My NeHearts and All My Well wishers. #NehuDiaries #Utrakhand #KakkarFamily.”
Shah Rukh Khan
Legend has it that a long time ago, way before he became the superstar that he is today, Khan stood on Marine Drive, looked across the sea at the setting sun and declared: “I’ll rule this city one day”.
And you know that popular saying – “Agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho to puri kayanat usey tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai.” The Universe conspired and today, Khan is the undisputed Badshah of Bollywood.
But it wasn’t an easy journey. An outsider in every way, he faced his struggles and had a humble beginning before making it big in Bollywood. When Khan first came to Mumbai, he had only ₹1,500 with him and a pocketful of dreams.
Despite being faced with such abject poverty and having to take on roles that were rejected by other stars, Khan has never sold his soul for stardom – it’s been sheer, backbreaking hard work mixed with incredible talent and unshakeable faith in himself and the Universe.
The boy who stood on Marine Drive all those years ago could have never imagined how far he’d come. Or maybe he did. And maybe, that’s why he became the legend we now address by the name of Shah Rukh Khan. Despite being a superstar, SRK is still humble and is continuing his hustle to be better every single day.
Rajnikanth
Born as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, Rajnikanth before becoming a superstar, had faced a life full of struggle and hardships. He rather accomplished his dream through repeated struggles and determination. He had to do odd jobs such as an office boy, a coolie, a carpenter before he began working as a bus conductor. During this time he acted in Kannada stage plays before joining the Madras Film Institute to learn acting skills. And the rest is history.
Akshay Kumar
“Na hum Amitabh, Na Dilip Kumar, Na Kisi Hero ke bache… Hum hai seedhe saadhe Akshay,” this song defines Akshay Kumar perfectly.
Born as Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia in a typical Punjabi middle-class family, Akshay’s early years weren’t spent dreaming about the arc-lights or trying to find a way to enter Bollywood. He decided to halt his studies and went to Bangkok, Thailand to pursue Martial Arts.
From working as a waiter to then graduating to a chef, Akshay did whatever he could to earn money in a country that was as alien to him as its language. Later, he came India and started teaching martial arts. It was then one of his students recommended him to start modelling. And now he is one of the finest actors that we know of!
Kangana Ranaut
She’s quirky, she’s eccentric, she’s self-made and she is the face of the new age, strong headed Indian woman! She’s Kangana Ranaut. Kangana was born in a small district called Bhambla in Himachal Pradesh. She was outspoken and rebellious since her childhood.
Though she had always been good in academics and wanted to become a doctor, it was a failed chemistry test that made her rethink about her goals in life. Eventually, she started taking a liking towards theatre and acting.
However, since she belonged to a conservative joint family in a small town, her parents didn’t approve of her decision to enter the entertainment industry. Kangana, determined that she was, packed her bags and left for Delhi at the young age of 16 without any financial support from her family. She started off with modeling but soon felt that it was not her calling and joined theatre.
That’s when she stepped into Mumbai and enrolled herself in an acting course. And that’s how Kangana landed her Bollywood debut, Gangster. The film won accolades and Kangana never looked back!
