‘But Amitabh Bachchan was homeless’: Shatrughan Sinha downplays his struggles, says his hunger lasted only two days

Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha said that he is proud of his Bihari roots, and cannot understand aspiring actors from the younger generation who seek his blessings but are also ashamed of their Bihari identity. In an interview, he recounted his struggles as an outsider from a state that was discriminated against, but said that his contemporaries, such as Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, had far greater difficulties.

Addressing a gathering at the Sahitya AajTak 2024 event, he spoke about his beginnings, and said that if he hadn’t made the transition from villainous roles to heroes, his career would’ve been over because the heroes of that era were starting to feel insecure of him. He said in Hindi, “There were no TV channels at that time, there was no social media. You had to prove yourself with your grit and determination. I used to go to meet producers and directors with a reel of my own film. The struggle was real.”

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He continued, “But Dharmendra, whom I consider my elder brother, he had a much deeper struggle. Or my good friend Amitabh Bachchan, who is said to have spent nights on a bench. Their struggles were greater than mine. But yes, there were times when I stayed hungry for two or three days. But I had a passion, and that helped me persevere.”

Incidentally, the actor has often spoken about being the first choice for films such as Sholay and Deewaar, the success of which established Amitabh as the biggest Indian star of his generation. Shatrughan Sinha is a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, and got his start in the film industry in the 1960s. He spent nearly a decade playing supporting roles, before delivering his first hit as the main lead in 1976 and going on to establish himself as a major star.

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