📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Doniyor Sharipov, Dilbar Rahmonova and others
Entertainment
Mithun Chakraborty recalls sleeping on footpaths and dancing for free meals
✍️ Mid-Day
🗓 28 Sep 2026, 09:17 PM
👁 8
The veteran actor opened up about his early years, saying he once slept on footpaths and performed dances to earn free food.
Mithun Chakraborty, the celebrated Bollywood star, spoke to Mid-Day about the stark realities of his formative years before fame. He recalled spending nights on city footpaths, often without a roof or a warm blanket, as he struggled to make ends meet.
The actor said he would sometimes join street performances, dancing at local gatherings or private functions in exchange for a plate of food. Those modest meals, he noted, were a lifeline during a period when regular employment was elusive.
Despite those hardships, Chakraborty’s perseverance propelled him into the film industry, where he later became a household name. His candid recollection serves as a reminder of the grit required to rise from poverty to stardom in India’s entertainment world.
The actor said he would sometimes join street performances, dancing at local gatherings or private functions in exchange for a plate of food. Those modest meals, he noted, were a lifeline during a period when regular employment was elusive.
Despite those hardships, Chakraborty’s perseverance propelled him into the film industry, where he later became a household name. His candid recollection serves as a reminder of the grit required to rise from poverty to stardom in India’s entertainment world.