“Zindagi mein teen cheezein kabhi underestimate nahi karna – I, Me and Myself.”
This iconic dialogue from Salman Khan’s 2011 blockbuster ‘Ready’ wasn’t just a line for the actor. It was a philosophy he had been living by for years, much before it became a mass dialogue.
Today, Salman Khan is one of the biggest and richest superstars of Indian cinema with a staggering net worth of around Rs 2900 crore. But his journey to stardom did not start with luxury and fame. It started with a paycheque so small that many would find it hard to believe – just Rs 75.
Yes, before becoming Bollywood’s ‘Dabangg’ Khan, Salman earned his first ever salary of Rs 75, not as an actor, but as a background dancer.
In an old interview with PTI, Salman himself had revealed this lesser-known chapter of his life. He said, “My first salary was, I think, about Rs 75. I was dancing behind in some show in the Taj hotel. One of my friends was dancing there, so he took me and I did it just for fun.”
At that time, it was just a fun gig with a friend at a show in the Taj Hotel. Little did he know that this small step would be the beginning of a journey that would make him the face of Indian cinema.
The world knows Salman Khan as the actor who made his Bollywood debut in 1989 with ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi’, starring Rekha and Farooq Sheikh. While the film did decent business, it didn’t make him an overnight star.
Stardom knocked on his door in the very same year when Sooraj Barjatya’s romantic classic ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ hit the theatres. As Prem, Salman became a national heartthrob overnight and there was no looking back.
From dancing in the back row for Rs 75 for fun to becoming the man who charges crores for a single film and rules the hearts of millions – Salman Khan’s story is a true testament to the fact that you should never underestimate yourself.
From Rs 75 to Rs 2900 crore, Bhai’s journey is nothing less than inspirational.
