Salman Khan’s dad Salim Khan recalls moving to Mumbai in ‘half room’ with Rs 55 rent: ‘Thodi si paiso ya job ki pareshaani toh…’

As an ardent fan of Bollywood and its rich tapestry of stories, I found myself utterly captivated by the gripping accounts of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar’s journey, as portrayed in Prime Video’s Angry Young Men. The series has been a veritable feast for those who relish the tales of the industry’s stalwarts and their humble beginnings.

The highly anticipated docuseries by Prime Video titled “Angry Young Men” is now airing, offering insights into the lives of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. In an emotional disclosure during the show, Salman Khan‘s father reminisced about his early days in Mumbai when he resided at the Marina Guest House on Marine Drive for just Rs 55 per month to rent a room.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: “In my past, I used to pay just Rs 55 a month for half a room. Interestingly, I had hoped to rent an entire room for Rs 110, but that dream remained unrealized. Despite having a comfortable life in my hometown Indore, I found myself compelled to leave for the sake of pursuing my aspirations.”

Speaking in my own words, I recalled as I set off for Mumbai, my oldest brother advised me that this wasn’t necessary and I’d return home penniless. Determined not to burden our family financially, I faced hardships instead. It was around the same period when fate introduced me to the love of my life, Salma Khan, who was only 17 years old at the time.

At age 24, Salim Khan reminisced about how his relationship with Salma began at Regi House building in Mahim. He stated, “Our interactions started with secretive glances… We would often encounter each other in the evenings along the nearby streets.” However, the pressure from Salma’s family soon escalated, as they urged her to either marry Salim or accept a pre-arranged match.

Fortunately, Salim and Salma officially became husband and wife in 1964. However, their early marriage was marked by numerous financial hardships for the family. As Salim put it, “There’s always uncertainty about finances or job stability—who knows what will happen?” With the need to earn money just to get by, he took on any work that came his way, even ads for cigarettes and clothing.

It was soon that Salim realized that his creative mind deserved a seat behind the camera. Khan shared how he could explain a character to actors like Dilip Kumar or Amitabh Bachchan, but couldn’t perform herself and that is when he decided to quit acting and focus on writing.

Angry Young Men is available to stream on Prime Video.

2024-08-20 07:37

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