Salman Khan was never born with a silver spoon….

Salman Khan, one of the highest earning actors in Bollywood today, was once a struggler. Well, not literally, but he had to struggle hard to prove his worth and achieve the milestones that we list today. The actor was already a successful model before he turned towards acting but his father, Salim Khan, never believed that he can ever pursue it. Salman was always keen about acting but Salim Khan had some other plans for him. However destiny was kind towards its favourite child and he ultimately became a nationwide sensation. But what if we tell you the Dabangg star’s first salary was in two digits? Yes, he was paid Rs 75 as a back-up dancer at the age of 14 and that was his first job. Also Read: Salman Khan turns grey for Race 3, but with conditions applied!

In one of his early interviews, the actor recalled an incident when he took up a job as a back-up dancer in 1978. Though the actor couldn’t recollect the exact amount, he did remember that he was paid around Rs 75 for a stage show in a Mumbai five star hotel. Later after two years, in 1980, the actor signed his first advertisement commercial for a soft drink brand. The advertisement was shot by famous ad filmmaker Kailash Surendranath in the Andaman islands. Kailash and his then girlfriend, model Aarti Gupta were “the people responsible for me being in this industry,” Salman said. “They gave me my first job in front of the camera.”

The ad filmmaker was in search of actors who could swim well underwater for his advertisement. Salman told the teen vlogger Hanee Chavan that he got that job when he jumped into the pool of Hotel Sea Rock, in Bandra, and swam back and forth below the surface to impress a beautiful woman who was passing by. The woman in question here is Aarti Gupta. She was impressed with his skills and suggested her husband, ad filmmaker Kailash to cast him. However, though she was mighty impressed with the actor, her husband felt he was still a kid. “You’ve sent a child,” Aarti recalled Kailash telling her. She replied firmly, “Just make him take off his shirt. He has a swimmer’s body.” Kailash did so, and he too was convinced. Well, Salman’s body always did all the wonders. We all are aware of that. And can you guess the amount he was paid for this ad shoot? Well it was only Rs 750! Shocking, right?