'Shared khichdi with 12 members': Ravi Kishan on 'excessive poverty'
What's the story
Ravi Kishan, who recently received widespread acclaim for his role in Laapataa Ladies, opened up about his humble beginnings. Speaking to Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube, he revealed he was born into extreme poverty. During the interview, he recalled his childhood experience when 12 family members would share one plate of khichdi in a mud hut. He admitted this impoverished background still shapes his behavior today.
Lasting impact
Kishan's enduring frugality despite current success
Kishan confessed that even today, he finds it difficult to spend money on himself, thanks to his past. "I still order khichdi. I am still hesitant about giving my clothes for laundry. I feel like I can get them washed at home when I come back," he said. He urges his family members to pamper themselves and pay for their luxuries but doesn't do so himself. Eventually, they buy clothes or other luxuries for him.
Career challenges
Kishan's struggle for survival and dignity in his early career
Kishan recalled his initial days in Mumbai when he survived on vada pav and tea. He revealed he survived 15 years in the film industry without proper, dignified pay. "I have faced extreme humiliation. People get humiliated a couple of times, I have faced it thousands of times. All of this has made Ravi Kishan who he is," he said. Kishan has acted in over 750 films in different industries and is also a successful politician now.
Name change
Kishan's decision to drop surname for career progression
Further in the interview, Kishan also spoke about why he dropped 'Shukla' from his surname. He said finding work was his biggest concern back then, so he didn't get into why this appeared necessary. "I never went into the details. It was Ravi Kishan Shukla. Now you have Saurabh Shukla, Tripathi, and Bajpayee, but this wasn't the case back then," he said. He reiterated that "surname did not matter" and he was "desperate to find work."