When Naseeruddin Shah revealed his first salary of Rs 7.50: "It lasted me two weeks"

(Picture Courtesy: Facebook)

As the veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah turns 73 on this day (June 20), let’s take a look at when he revealed the first salary he received from the film ‘Aman’.

In an old interview, he opened up on how he started his acting career and shared a memorable story about his first salary.

Naseeruddin Shah’s first foray into acting was as an extra in the 1967 film ‘Aman’, directed by Mohan Kumar.

At just 16 years old, Naseeruddin Shah earned a modest ₹7.50 for his role.
Naseeruddin Shah recounted in a 2012 interview with Rediff that at the age of 16, he worked as an extra in Mohan Kumar’s film ‘Aman’. He mentioned that in the film’s final scene, where Rajendra Kumar is being taken for his funeral, he can be seen standing earnestly behind him. He said, “ I earned ₹7.50 for that role, and it lasted me two weeks.”

Naseeruddin Shah officially began his acting career with the 1975 Hindi film Nishant. Over the next few decades, he established himself as one of India’s finest actors with standout performances in films such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994), and Masoom (1983).
Most recently, Naseeruddin Shah was seen in the series Taj: Reign of Revenge, which also starred Aditi Rao Hydari, Sandhya Mridul, Rahul Bose, and many more.