Aayush Sharma, the brother-in-law of Bollywood megastar Salman Khan, has opened up about his early days in the industry, revealing the challenges he faced before making his acting debut. In a recent interview to promote his upcoming film ‘Ruslaan’, Sharma shared that he once worked as a background dancer in the song ‘Dilliwali Girlfriend’ from the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’. He also recalled a time when he had just Rs 20 in his pocket and was struggling to afford breakfast.
Sharma’s journey to Bollywood was not without its hurdles. Aspiring to become a casting director, he initially worked as an assistant director. However, he did not receive the desired opportunities. Undeterred, he joined the ranks of background dancers in ‘Dilliwali Girlfriend’, despite feeling self-conscious about being seen on camera.
Recalling his experience on the sets of ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, Sharma said, ‘I came to Mehboob Studios for the first time for ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’s shoot and a lot of people asked me why I was working as a background dancer. I was not getting work as an assistant director. I wanted to become a casting director so that I could reach a film set that way. But then that day when I went to Mehboob, there were 300 to 400 background dancers and I was one of them. It was a beautiful moment. I saw Manish Malhotra, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin, and Ranbir Kapoor on set. We were given to do a step for ‘Dilliwali Girlfriend’. I was trying to hide in the back so that I don’t get seen in the camera, but they kept calling me ahead. That day I had a craving to go and see behind the monitor. I wanted to see how I looked in front of the camera.’
Sharma’s financial struggles also tested his resolve. He shared an incident where he had only Rs 20 left and was worried about how he would afford breakfast the next day. However, a timely job offer for a shoot in Navi Mumbai gave him a glimmer of hope.
‘There was a day in my life when I just had 20 rupees. I had no money for breakfast in the morning, so I was having a roll that night and wondering what I would do for breakfast the next day. That time I got a call for a shoot for stock images in Navi Mumbai. I did that. And when I got that call about Antim’s satellite being sold, I was again in front of that food joint and wondered that from 20 rupees to so many crores.’, he recounted.
Sharma’s determination and resilience eventually paid off. He made his Bollywood debut in 2018 with the Salman Khan-starrer ‘LoveYatri’ and has since starred in several successful films, including ‘Antim: The Final Truth’. His journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring actors and filmmakers, showcasing the power of hard work and perseverance in overcoming challenges.
