When Naseeruddin Shah spoke about his first salary: ‘I got ₹7.5 and it lasted me two weeks’

Naseeruddin Shah, who turned 73 on July 20, began his acting career with the 1975 Hindi film, Nishant. Over the next few decades, he acted in films such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994) and Masoom (1983). In an old interview, Naseeruddin had recalled how he began acting, and also revealed what was his first salary. Also read: Naseeruddin Shah’s The Kerala Story comment slammed by Manoj Tiwari

Naseeruddin Shah is known as one of the best actors in Hindi films. He often also shares his views on politics, history and society. He had earlier recalled that his first role was that of an extra in the 1967 film Aman. He had earned ₹7.50 for it.

Naseeruddin Shah’s first salary

Naseeruddin told Rediff in 2012, “As an extra when I was 16 in Aman made by Mohan Kumar. In the last scene where Rajendra Kumar is being taken for his funeral I am standing just behind him, looking very earnest. I got ₹ ₹7.50 and it lasted me two weeks.”

Naseeruddin on how he started acting

Further speaking about how he became an actor, Naseeruddin had said in the same interview, “My school did many plays. I was convinced I could do better than the kids who did them. When I failed in a class, my dad put me into another school. Here I got together with four friends and enacted scenes from The Merchant of Venice in front of a crowd. And at 14, I knew without doubt this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Suddenly, my grades got better, I got into the cricket team. It changed my life! And my poor misguided dad thought I was studying which I wasn’t!”

Naseeruddin Shah’s recent projects

Naseeruddin Shah was last seen in Taj: Reign of Revenge. The series also starred Aditi Rao Hydari, Rahul Bose, Sandhya Mridul, and Zarina Wahab. It premiered on Zee5 on May 12, 2023.

During promotions of the web series’ first season, Taj: Divided By Blood, Naseeruddin had talked about the various languages that are spoken in Pakistan. He had said that Sindhi was no longer spoken in Pakistan; his comment was slammed by many in Pakistan and the actor had later apologised for his ‘mis-statement about the Sindhi language in Pakistan’.