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Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty recently opened up about receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Along with sharing his disbelief at being honoured with India’s highest recognition in cinema, he also recalled his humble beginnings, which included sleeping on the footpaths of Mumbai. However, Mithun admitted that after bagging the National Award following the release of his debut film Mrigayaa, he became arrogant.
Speaking about his early struggles, Mithun told India Today, “Yeh safar bahut katheen tha. Many tell me why I don’t make a biography. Main kehta hoon nahi kyunki meri story logo ko inspire nahi karega, unko morally down kar dega. Jo young ladke struggle karte hai unka himmat tod dega. It’s so hard, so traumatic, so painful. I came from a blind lane in Kolkata and Bombay was also so hard. Some day I wouldn’t get food and I would sometimes sleep on footpaths. (This journey was very difficult. Many people tell me to make a biography. I say no, because my story won’t inspire people; it will bring them down morally. It would break the spirits of young boys who are struggling).”
He added, “For that boy to win India’s biggest award in films, I still can’t digest it. Abhi tak hosh sambhala nah (I am still in daze). Such a big award. Main khushi se hass bhi nahi sakta, khushi se ro bhi nahi sakta. (I am totally stunned and I am not out of it yet).”
Recalling the time when he became arrogant after winning the National Award and how producers quickly brought him back to reality, he said, “After Mrigayaa, I got my first National Award. Jo hota hai, I started acting like Al Pacino. Aisa lag raha tha that I am the greatest actor. Mera attitude change ho gaya toh producer ne dekh ke bola ‘get out.’ (As it happens, I started acting like Al Pacino. It felt like I was the greatest actor. My attitude changed, so the producer saw this and said, ‘get out’). Then I realised my mistake.”
After learning what he calls the most pivotal lesson of his life, Mithun made a decision that shaped his career trajectory. “I decided main art film tab tak nahi karunga jab tak main star na ban jaoon. Isiliye from Mrigayaa to Tahader Katha so many years ka gap hai (I decided I wouldn’t do art films until I became a star. That’s why there’s such a long gap between Mrigayaa and Tahader Katha),” he said.
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