Before Shah Rukh Khan became Bollywood’s Badshah, ruling world with his charm and talent, he was just a Delhi boy with big dreams. Long before the fame, the films, and the fan following, SRK earned his very first pay cheque not from acting, but from a ghazal concert.
SRK’s first salary was Rs 50 for being an usher
In a lesser-known phase of his early life, Shah Rukh Khan once revealed that his first-ever earning came from working as an usher at a live concert of ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas. His job was simple which just included helping people find their seats during the show. For this, he received a small but memorable payment of Rs 50.
During an old interview with PTI while promoting his film Raees, SRK fondly talked about this. He said, “I have travelled some long distances when I was younger. I did one, when I got my first earning from a Pankaj Udhas concert, I was an usher. We got Rs 50, so we went to the Taj Mahal, saved money.”
That Rs 50 became the reason for one of his earliest adventures, a train trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
The ghazal legend behind the moment
For fans of Indian music, Pankaj Udhas needs no introduction. Known for his soothing voice and timeless ghazals, he has gifted listeners classics like ‘Chhithhi Aayi Hai,’ ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar,’ ‘Chandi Jaisa Rang,’ ‘Jiye Toh Jiye Kaise,’ and ‘Chupke Chupke Sakhiyon Se.’
From Rs 50 to ruling Bollywood
Decades later, Shah Rukh Khan stands as one of the most successful and the only billionaire in Bollywood industry. From earning Rs 50 as an usher to becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the world, SRK’s journey has been inspiring many for years. This year, Badshah of B-Town is turning 60 and fans just can’t keep calm. He has been ruling Bollywood ever since he made his debut in Deewana. Now as King Khan is turning 60, he has surprised his fans with a gift that any diehard fan of SRK deserved. He took to his instagram where he announced the re-release of his seven iconic films.
The Shah Rukh Khan Film Festival begins from October 31 and will go on for two weeks worldwide. The event will bring some of his most iconic films back to theatres across India and around the world, allowing fans to relive the moments that made him the King of Bollywood.