From selling his trophy for Rs 400 to feed his family to owning a luxurious 4-BHK home; A look at Sudesh Lehri’s inspiring journey
From selling his trophy for Rs 400 to feed his family to owning a luxurious 4-BHK home; A look at Sudesh Lehri’s inspiring journey
Stand-up comedian and actor Sudesh Lehri was born in Jalandhar and raised in Amritsar. He now lives in a luxurious four-bedroom home in the city of dreams, Mumbai. However, his journey to success was not easy. After appearing in several comedy shows and winning many awards, Sudesh has become a popular face in the entertainment industry. He often shares glimpses of his life. The comedian is currenty winning hearts on Luaghter Chefs 3. Let's take a look at how he faced several challenges to see and live the success today. (Photo: Instagram)
The seasoned comedian began working with his father and learnt gold-making
He started working with his father and learnt to make gold. However, his father would earn only around Rs 100-200 and spend it on his drinking habits. In an old podcast interview with Maniesh Paul, Sudesh Lehri spoke about the struggles he faced during his childhood and recalled the odd jobs he had to take on due to his poor background. He revealed, “There was no opportunity to study. Since childhood, I’ve done small jobs. I’ve worked in factories and at tea stalls. I used to make tea, but we couldn’t afford tea at home. So, when I’d carry 5-6 cups in one hand and a kettle in the other, walking barefoot to the factory to deliver the tea, I’d sneak into a corner, have a cup myself, wash the glass, and then continue. That was our situation.” (Photo: Instagram)
Practical workshop
The Comedy Circus actor once worked in a slipper factory and also sold kulfi and vegetables to earn a living. Talking about those days, he said, “That was a practical workshop for me as an actor. While selling kulfi, vegetables… we had to act. I’ve never been to school, and I do miss it.” (Photo: Instagram)
He never went to school
During the interview, Sudesh Lehri revealed that he never got a chance to attend school. Due to his family's poor financial condition, he started working at a tea stall, where he earned just one rupee. In another podcast with the Punjabi YouTube channel Aman Aujla, he revealed, "I’m uneducated. I’m illiterate. I never went to school, not even nursery or kindergarten. I’ve never been inside a school. We didn’t have the money. I used to work for pennies at shops. I worked as a mechanic. I couldn’t read signboards even. But I knew I wanted to become an actor. I couldn’t read, but I could memorise lines.” (Photo: Instagram)
When he didn't know the difference between ‘fifty’ and ‘fifteen’
In the same interview, Sudesh Lehri shared how he faced a financial crisis due to a language barrier and lack of education. During the early days of his journey, he faced many difficulties due to language barrier that affected his work. Once, because he did not know English very well, he accidentally asked for Rs 15,000 instead of Rs 50,000 for a show. However, he realised the mistake after receiving the payment. Sudesh simply laughed it off and did not reveal that the confusion happened due to his limited understanding of the language. (Photo: Instagram).
Selling his award to feed his family
At one point, Sudesh Lehri was told that he would be honoured at an awards ceremony. He asked the organiser about the value of the award trophy. Later, he exchanged the award for around Rs 300–400 and used the money to buy food for his family. (Photo: Instagram)
When his hard work paid off
It is often said that not all days are the same, and things changed for Sudesh Lehri after he participated in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Season 3. He finished third in the competition, while Chandan Prabhakar came second and Kapil Sharma won the trophy. He later appeared in several comedy shows such as Dekh India Dekh, Comedy Circus, Comedy Classes, Comedy Nights Bachao, and The Kapil Sharma Show. Over the years, he has also won several trophies, which he now proudly displays on a wall of fame in his luxurious home. (Photo: Instagram)
Four Bedroom Luxurious Apartment
After going through many struggles in life, Sudesh Lehri never gave up on his dream of giving his family a comfortable and luxurious life. In one of his YouTube vlogs, he gave a tour of his four-bedroom apartment, where his close friend Krushna Abhishek even compared the house to a seven-star hotel. The comedian is currently seen in Laughter Chefs, where he is paired with actress Nia Sharma. (Photo: Instagram)
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