MUMBAI: Actor Sohum Shah has made a strong mark in the industry with his outstanding roles in projects like Maharani, Dahaad, Tumbbad and more but his love for art and his struggle to make it big in the industry has garnered a lot of attention and respect for the actor.

Sohum Shah recently talked about his struggle and how he is a responsible sibling. In an interaction with a media portal, the actor opened up on his struggle, saying “I was the youngest but I was very responsible because I have seen struggle. I remember I was in 10th grade and it was during winter when my mom was drying off the clothes on the roof. I was following my mom around because I wanted 1 rupee. I wanted to contribute to buying a leather ball. At that it used to be of Rs. 25. We used to have leather balls, the wickets were bricks and we had never tried on gloves. If we ever wear gloves then we wouldn’t be able to hold the bat well. Usually there were no pads. We used to wear them when we would have a match with some other team on a Sunday and there were some fast bowlers. So for that, we used to wear one pad for our left leg. So it was a struggle for even Re. 1 when I was in 10th grade. There was no concept of pocket money in our house. Just getting something to eat and having clothes to wear was enough. When you have problems in your house, you mature at an early age. We had a lot of love in our family but we did not have money and that makes you mature and makes you feel like you should work. When I was young I used to think if there was a pill that would make me big or tall in just a day.”

Also read - Sohum Shah was scolded by his mom after Venice screening of 'Tumbbad'

When asked if he had to put himself on hold to think about others, the actor said, “I think it’s not black and white but a mix of everything. It’s like you wanted to do that but you don’t know the way to it. I used to think of going out and making films but it was a very vague dream. The reality was about working and earning, prospering with the family. So it never occurred to me that I’m not being able to fulfil my dream. It was a vague idea that I would do it when I get a chance. I had different priorities. Shahrukh Khan sir used to come in Santro car’s ads and I used to be a very big fan of him. So I used to wonder when will I have a Santro car and when would I have a bike. So those dreams were a priority at that time.”

Also read - Sohum Shah accepts the fact of being an outsider as a challenge! Here's his take!

The actor talked about the language barrier he faced in his life and in the industry due to not knowing English, saying “When I came into the industry, only white-skinned people and those with six-pack abs were considered to be actors. If you don’t know how to speak English, then you can’t work in this industry. My life’s toughest part was that I don’t know English. At that time, I was a successful businessman, I had started from zero, but after that I struggled a lot. There used to be an acting workshop and my self-esteem was so low, my teacher told me that the cook had more self-esteem than me and that he looks like a king but I look like nothing. So that was a pressuring time when you don’t know English. So I have struggled a lot because of that. It was a very tough time I believe for people like us who come from outside. Now things have changed in terms of OTT. The world has opened up. I think what matters now is what you bring to the table, what type of personality you are coming with. That matters a lot. At that time, your physical appearance mattered more than your understanding and thought process. We somehow survived but that was a very tough time.”

Tell us what you feel about this conversation, in the comment section below.