Ravi Kishan, riding high on the success of ‘Laapataa Ladies’ and ‘Maamla Legal Hai’, recently opened up about his childhood, revealing he grew up in extreme poverty. He shared that his family lived in a mud hut and often shared one plate of khichdi among 12 people. Despite his current success, he admitted that his lower class upbringing still affects his behavior, making it difficult for him to order freely at luxury restaurants.
In a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel, Ravi Kishan shared that he “crawled” his way out of “extreme poverty.” He recounted living in a mud hut and sharing one plate of khichdi among 12 people, often diluted with water. After moving to Mumbai, he subsisted on vada pav and tea, spending 15 years in the film industry without receiving a proper salary.
“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 also explained why he dropped “Shukla” from his surname, stating, “Because I couldn’t find work with the name Shukla.” He emphasized that making money was crucial at that time, so he didn’t dwell on the decision. He noted that while surnames like Saurabh Shukla and Bajpayee are common now, it wasn’t the case back then. Ultimately, he felt that his surname did not matter as he was “desperate to find work.”
He revealed that even today, he finds it difficult to order expensive food at a 7-star hotel, regardless of who is paying. He shared, “I still order khichdi” and remains hesitant about sending his clothes for laundry, preferring to wash them at home. He acknowledged that poverty is still part of him, stating that the lower-class mentality has not left him. While he encourages his family to spend on themselves and is happy to pay for their luxury items, he often relies on them to buy him clothes and gadgets.
