From Bidi Smoke to Box Office Glory: Sham Kaushal’s Grit-Fueled Journey to Bollywood’s Top
From Bidi Smoke to Box Office Glory: Sham Kaushal’s Grit-Fueled Journey to Bollywood’s Top
The story of a man who came to Mumbai with ₹3,000 and now watches his sons rule the industry he once swept floors in.
Before Vicky Kaushal became a box-office heavyweight and Katrina Kaif his daughter-in-law, Sham Kaushal’s life was anything but glamorous. His story isn’t one of overnight stardom, it’s one of hard knocks, humility, and relentless hustle.
Born and raised in Punjab, Sham completed his M.A. in English Literature with dreams of becoming a lecturer. But financial hardship crushed that hope. In 1978, with just ₹3,000 borrowed by his father, he boarded a train to Mumbai. His first job as a salesman paid ₹350 a month barely enough to survive. A daily commute involving two buses and a train left him with ₹1 for food. His meals often consisted of misal pav or aloo vada. Cigarettes were a luxury, so he smoked 10 paise bidis.
Unable to afford rent, he lived in his office and changed clothes at a friend’s home. Fired after a year, Kaushal hit rock bottom but made two vows: never to take another job and never to leave Mumbai.
His entry into films came by chance, thanks to Punjabi friends who helped him join the Stuntman Association. His ₹1,000 fee was paid collectively. Slowly, opportunities came—first as an errand boy for action maestro Veeru Devgan, then as an assistant learning the ropes of stunt choreography. His first paid film gig was in Betaab (1983), which earned him ₹500—a fortune back then.
Kaushal’s career flourished through the 1990s. But fate struck again. During the shoot of Lakshya in Ladakh, he collapsed. Diagnosis: cancer. Fearing ostracization, he told no one, praying only to live long enough to raise his sons. Miraculously, the cancer didn’t spread after surgeries. He survived.
Today, Sham Kaushal is one of Bollywood’s most respected action directors. His son Vicky Kaushal is one of the industry’s biggest stars, and his film Chhaava has earned over ₹807 crore worldwide. The man who once fetched tea for Veeru Devgan now watches his son rival Ajay Devgn at the box office.
This isn’t a rags-to-riches fairy tale. It’s a story built on borrowed money, pain, resilience, and quiet dignity, a reminder that the greatest scripts are often written off-screen.
