Bollywood’s Miracle: From Earning Pennies to Smashing Records with Consecutive Hits

Indian cinema has seen several directors who have helmed blockbuster movies. From Rajkumar Hirani to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, each director in the industry has left a long-lasting mark with their films. However, there’s one director known particularly for his action-packed films, featuring explosive car stunts and intense action sequences. If you’ve guessed it already, this director is none other than Rohit Shetty.Born on March 14, 1974, to M.B. Shetty and Ratna, a Bollywood junior artist, Rohit grew up in a cinema-influenced family. While today Shetty is a prominent name in the industry, his journey to success was not easy. At one point, Rohit Shetty struggled to meet his daily needs. In an earlier interview with Karan Johar, Rohit spoke about his financial struggles, revealing that he lost his father at the age of three and has worked hard ever since to support his family. He revealed that there was a time when he only rs 35 and ironed clothes of others.

He shared, “I was very young when I lost my father. I understood the family’s condition and took on the responsibility. I worked day and night, taking on three shifts a day to ensure there was no shortage of work. People think I haven’t struggled, but I have faced hardships like any other struggler. Although I was scared at times, I never stopped moving forward.”

After his father passed away, Rohit faced numerous challenges. He recalled, “My childhood was like any other. My father was a stunt director and had also acted in some films. He was very well-known in the industry at that time, and there was always a film atmosphere at home. This was my world, and I resolved early on to follow in my father’s footsteps and work in cinema.”

Rohit was barely 17 when he entered the industry. Despite having some connections, he still had to struggle to find work. There were times he had no money and had to walk kilometres on foot, and on some days, he even had to go without food due to financial difficulties.

In the same interview, Rohit said, “I started working at 17. From the beginning, I was determined to become either an action director or a film director. Like other strugglers, I had to work hard to get opportunities. My first film didn’t do well, but then I made Golmaal, which made history. To date, I have made 16 films. Perhaps if COVID hadn’t happened, I would have made even more (laughs).”

On the work front, Rohit Shetty has delivered several successful films that have grossed in the hundreds of crores. From Golmaal 3 to Singham and Chennai Express, his latest film, Singham Again, has also crossed Rs 100 crore