Action director Sham Kaushal became a prominent name in the industry in the 1980s and 1990s. However, his journey to fame was not as easy. Born into a middle class family, Sham completed his MA in English Literature at a university in Punjab and wanted to become a lecturer. However, the profession needed another degree, M Phil, for which he had to travel to Chandigarh. But he didn’t have the money for the hostel fees.
This shattered his dreams, and he began to look for jobs in Punjab, and learnt typing. But none of this helped him. A year later, a friend suggested that he travel to Mumbai. During this time, his father borrowed Rs 3000 and gave it to him. Now, Sham’s only goal was to repay his father’s loan. But, life in Mumbai was difficult.
He recalled in a podcast with Aman Aujla, “When I came to Bombay, I saw the struggle. I didn’t have money for several days, yet I never slept on an empty stomach. Many people helped me. I went to Bombay in 1978. I stayed with my friends in a chawl. At that time, with help from one of my relatives, I got a job of a salesman. My salary was Rs 350 per month. I had to take about two buses, and a train to reach my office in Chembur. I would be left with just Re 1 for lunch and dinner. I used to eat misal pav for dinner outside my work as they charged 15 paisa per pav. And then I ate batata vada for dinner. I also used to be a smoker, I loved cigarettes, but couldn’t afford them. So bought bidi worth 10 paisa.”
Soon, he had to leave the chawl as he didn’t have the money to pay for the deposit. He started to live in his office and kept his luggage at a friend’s place in Ghatkopar, where he walked every day to change. “I just had 2 trousers and 3 shirts.” But, he was laid off after a year.
“A year later, my office laid me off because I lacked confidence. I couldn’t communicate well. I had inferiority complex. It was after this incident, I decided I will never take up job again. I couldn’t speak on calls. So I made two decisions: To never join another job, and to never quit Bombay. This became my strength. I knew Bombay is everything for me. I didn’t want to return to Punjab.”
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Sham’s struggles continued for sometime until he made friends with a couple of other Punjabis at a PG he was staying at. He also made friends with someone who worked at an eatery; the friend would feed him every day.
“I didn’t have money, but friends always helped me. There I made a friend with a person at an eatery in Santa Cruz, they would feed me. It was next to a PG. Once, while walking to the eatery, I came across a gift shop where they had this thing on which it was written: ‘If God closes one door, he opens 10 others.” This line left an impact on me. I ended up buying that thing for Re 1.”
He added, “That PG was home to a couple of more guys from Punjab. They worked as stuntmen in films. I became friends with them. In 1980, they made me a member of Stuntman Association. They told me, you can think of a business later, but as of now you can just do some work here, it will at least earn you your daily bread. That’s how I got into the film industry. They charged Rs 1000 to make you the member of the association, which I borrowed from many of my friends and paid.”
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After this, he met Veeru Devgan, a renowned action director. Veeru invited him over for a meal, and wordlessly offered him a job. “He got to know that I have done MA in English. Then he offered me a job in his office. I accompanied him everywhere he went. I had become more like his spot boy. I carried his bag, I would bring him tea, water. We became close. He would then add my names with other fighters in films. Because of him, I started to earn money. Eventually, when I started to make money, I realised maybe this is what God wanted for me. Then it occurred to me that I can become a stunt director. I left Veeru Devgan, and then joined Pappu Varma. They were new. I joined them. I learnt the ropes there for 2 years. I wasn’t paid any money.”
It was during this time that he met actors Jackie Shroff and Anupam Kher. “Two years later, I began to receive work. From 1983, I started to work as a stuntman, I also played duplicates to actors. In the ’90s, I received my break as a stunt director.”
Sham recalled his first outdoor shoot as a stuntman, which became a turning point in his life. “I worked as a fighter in Sunny Deol’s Betaab. We travelled to Mysuru. This was my first outdoor shoot. I didn’t really know to do stunts. But, it was my luck, a scene with Sunny Deol worked. It impressed my boss. I received Rs 500 instead of Rs 100 for that day’s shoot.” While Sham was not very confident about his craft, his dedication to help his parents change their lifestyle kept him motivated. He shared, “I made sure to repay the loan my dad took to send me to Bombay. It was only after that I left my job as a salesman.”
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While Sham once worked as Veeru Devgan’s assistant, his son Vicky Kaushal’s latest film grossed more than those of Veeru’s son, Ajay Devgn.
