Sanjai Mishra
The NSD graduate has won a Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Critics) for his role in the 2014 release Ankhon Dekhi.
However, there was a time in his life when he had lost interest in the material world and started making omelettes in a roadside dhaba in Rishikesh.
This happened after the actor suddenly lost his father soon after he recovered from a critical illness. This shook the actor from within and he went to Rishikesh to live an anonymous life.
However, director Rohit Shetty found him and brought him back to Mumbai to play Raghunandandas Govardhandas Vakawale in All The Best, a role still remembered because of Mishra’s comic timing.
However, there was a time in his life when he had lost interest in the material world and started making omelettes in a roadside dhaba in Rishikesh.
This happened after the actor suddenly lost his father soon after he recovered from a critical illness. This shook the actor from within and he went to Rishikesh to live an anonymous life.
However, director Rohit Shetty found him and brought him back to Mumbai to play Raghunandandas Govardhandas Vakawale in All The Best, a role still remembered because of Mishra’s comic timing.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
The actor who is known to portray any role, good or bad, with the same ease and enthusiasm was a watchman before he actually started his Bollywood stint.
The story behind his choice of profession goes something like this: he wanted to do theatre during the daytime and thus, wanted a job that he could do in night.
After graduating from NSD in 1996, the actor was seen in a number of movies in blink-and-miss performances, before finally being noticed for his role as the journalist Rakesh in Peepli Live.
He can now boast of a Special Jury National Award for his work in Kahaani, Gangs Of Wasseypur, Talaash and Dekh Indian Circus.
The story behind his choice of profession goes something like this: he wanted to do theatre during the daytime and thus, wanted a job that he could do in night.
After graduating from NSD in 1996, the actor was seen in a number of movies in blink-and-miss performances, before finally being noticed for his role as the journalist Rakesh in Peepli Live.
He can now boast of a Special Jury National Award for his work in Kahaani, Gangs Of Wasseypur, Talaash and Dekh Indian Circus.
Boman Irani
Considered to be one of the finest actors in Bollywood today, this Parsi man was once a waiter and a room service staff in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Mumbai.
Later on, he assisted his mother in their ancestral bakery shop in Mumbai. This was long before Irani moved to acting.
He has now won awards for both his comic and negative roles, and continues to be one of the busiest Bollywood actors.
Later on, he assisted his mother in their ancestral bakery shop in Mumbai. This was long before Irani moved to acting.
He has now won awards for both his comic and negative roles, and continues to be one of the busiest Bollywood actors.
Manoj Bajpai
Winner of 2 National Film Awards, this actor was rejected by the National School of Drama not once but four times.
Then he learned acting from Barry John and went on to make a name for himself.
His roles in Satya, Pinjar, Aks, Shool, Zubeida and Gangs Of Wasseypur are the most memorable ones.
Then he learned acting from Barry John and went on to make a name for himself.
His roles in Satya, Pinjar, Aks, Shool, Zubeida and Gangs Of Wasseypur are the most memorable ones.
Rajinikanth
One of the most revered actors of Indian cinema, this man had a temple dedicated to his name, but before becoming the thalaivaa, he did various jobs, that of a coolie, a carpenter and finally a bus conductor, to make a living.
Amitabh Bachchan
There can’t be a bigger irony than this, that a man known for his baritone voice which can cast spells on anyone listening was rejected from a radio station only because of his voice.
Not only this, the millennium star who is one of the most high tax-paying Indians now, used to sleep on benches of Mumbai’s marine drive in the beginning of his career.
Not only this, the millennium star who is one of the most high tax-paying Indians now, used to sleep on benches of Mumbai’s marine drive in the beginning of his career.
Mehmood Ali
We all remember Mehmood who commanded such respect for his art that his name was mentioned before the main lead’s name in the credit rolls of his movies.
But before he became the man who tickled the funny bones, he used to work at a poultry farm and later taught table tennis to make ends meet.
He also worked as a driver, under director PL Santoshi.
Years later, after his career had ended and he had faded in oblivion, Santoshi’s son Rajkumar Santoshi cast him in Andaz Apna Apna.
But before he became the man who tickled the funny bones, he used to work at a poultry farm and later taught table tennis to make ends meet.
He also worked as a driver, under director PL Santoshi.
Years later, after his career had ended and he had faded in oblivion, Santoshi’s son Rajkumar Santoshi cast him in Andaz Apna Apna.
Mithun Chakraborty
How fate plays its role is beyond our understanding. A naxalite from the wanted list of Bengal Police became the disco dancer of Bollywood and made people dance to his tunes.
Chakraborty allegedly left the company of Naxals after his brother’s tragic death, which made him look at life from a different perspective. Kya baat, kya baat, kya baat!
Chakraborty allegedly left the company of Naxals after his brother’s tragic death, which made him look at life from a different perspective. Kya baat, kya baat, kya baat!
Manoj Kumar
Born Harikrishna Giri Goswami, Kumar used to work as a ghost writer.
After an impressive career that spanned over decades, he has a collection of seven Filmfare Awards, one National Award and Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India.
After an impressive career that spanned over decades, he has a collection of seven Filmfare Awards, one National Award and Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India.
Dharmesh Yelande
This popular dancer, actor and choreographer, memorable for the role of D in ABCD: AnyBody Can Dance was once a peon in Vadodara, his hometown.
He now owns a dance academy in the same city. All he wanted to become back, then, was a background dancer in Bollywood but his dedication made him one of the most popular dancers in India.
He now owns a dance academy in the same city. All he wanted to become back, then, was a background dancer in Bollywood but his dedication made him one of the most popular dancers in India.
Gulshan Kumar
The man who created a vast music empire out of nothing used to work at his family’s juice shop in the narrow lanes of Darya Ganj in Delhi.
It was his hard work and dedication that today, T-Series is one of India’s most successful music labels.
He also ventured in film production and direction later on, before being assassinated.
It was his hard work and dedication that today, T-Series is one of India’s most successful music labels.
He also ventured in film production and direction later on, before being assassinated.
Irrfan
Born in Jaipur, Irrfan didn’t have enough money to buy the ticket for the first Jurassic Park movie when it released in 1993, because he was still a struggling actor trying to find his foothold in the industry, dabbling between films and television.
Owing to his dedication, we saw him act in the latest movie of the Jurassic Park franchise.
Owing to his dedication, we saw him act in the latest movie of the Jurassic Park franchise.
Arshad Warsi
Losing his parents at an early age, Warsi became a salesman, selling cosmetic items in Mumbai buses.
He also worked at a small photo lab in Mumbai before nurturing his passion for dancing and winning the Indian Dance Competition.
He has won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role for the role of Circuit in Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
He also worked at a small photo lab in Mumbai before nurturing his passion for dancing and winning the Indian Dance Competition.
He has won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role for the role of Circuit in Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
Akshay Kumar
Bollywood’s highest paid actor and amongst the top tax payers in the industry, this Delhi lad worked as a cook and waiter in Bangkok, where he was taking training for martial arts to be become an actor.
Entertaining the world through his action and comedy, he now owns numerous awards and honours today.
Entertaining the world through his action and comedy, he now owns numerous awards and honours today.