From Shiv Thakare to Neha Kakkar: Top TV celebs' rags to riches story will inspire you

They may be successful names in the show business now but there was a time when these TV celebs struggled to make ends meet. Many of these actors came from families that faced financial struggles. However, they did not give up on their dreams and passion, and eventually their talent got noticed by people. Take a look at top TV celebs' rags to riches story. (Photo: Instagram)

Who doesn't know Neha Kakkar? The popular singer, who is one of the highest paid artists in the music industry, owns luxury cars and bungalows now but there was a time when Neha's family lived in a rented house in Rishikesh which had just one room. Neha started singing at 4 with her siblings at Jagrans, which was also her training ground. She participated in them till she was 16 to support her family financially. She then auditioned for Indian Idol but got eliminated early on. Neha, however, didn't give up and tried her luck in Bollywood. She rose to popularity with the song Second Hand Jawani, and went on to break records with her chartbusters Sunny Sunny, Saki Saki, Dilbar, Kaala Chashma and Aankh Maarey. She is also seen as a judge on Indian Idol. The singer has remained consistent all through her journey. Patience and hardwork are the keys to her success. (Photo: Instagram)

Abdu Rozik made a name for himself with Bigg Boss 16. While he may be a huge social media star now, the Tajikistan singer faced financial struggles while growing up. To earn money, Abdu used to sing on the streets at bazaars and markets. Abdu revealed on Bigg Boss 16 that his house used to be flooded with water during the rainy season and even faced leakage problems. He started wrestling to support his family financially and gained popularity from there. He also got recognition for being the world's smallest singer by Guinness World of Records. He received fame by singing 'Chota Bhaijaan' as a tribute to Bollywood actor Salman Khan. He is now a viral sensation who has met several popular stars from showbiz. Abdu also owns expensive sports cars, shops luxury brands and enjoys helicopter rides. (Photo: Instagram)

Bharti Singh's childhood wasn't an easy one. The comedian's father passed away when she was just 2-years-old. The financial burden fell on her mother who tried hard to make ends meet. In a chat show with Rajeev Khandelwal, Bharti had revealed, "We were in debt and our financial condition was really bad. My mother used to work in a factory, and she used to complete the pending work at home. I have grown-up listening to the irritating sounds of a sewing machine day in and day out. It still haunts me, whenever I hear it on the roadside." She added, ""People used to come and abuse my mother, asking her to pay the loans. And that is when I realized that my mother was handling so much of the mess all alone. I even started hating men for the same reason. All this toxicity used to upset my mother and I used to cry. On every 14th of the month my mom used to be so depressed and sad- thinking how she will pay the loan the next day." Bharti made a name for herself in the showbiz with her comedy shows. (Photo: Instagram)

Shiv Thakare, who is currently seen in Bigg Boss 16 as a contestant, lived in slum when he was young and faced many financial difficulties early on. He used to help his father at his pan shop and even sold newspapers and milk packets to earn more income for his family. He then started working as a dancer at weddings from which he earned around Rs 10-22 K. Shiv revealed his life's struggles on Roadies where he was seen as a participant. He reached the semi-finals and got fame through the show. Later, Shiv was seen in Bigg Boss Marathi 2. He brought the trophy home and earned a massive fan following through the reality show. He is also an entrepreneur and a social media influencer. (Photo: Instagram)

Kapil Sharma revealed that he worked as a PCO post Class X to make pocket money. He lived in a rented house with parents and his father had a meagre income. Kapil did not rest. He participated in college fests and did not feel dejected when he got rejected in the Amritsar audition round of 'Laughter Challenge Season 3'. Since he was determined to make it big, he went to Delhi to audition, got selected and went on to win the show in 2007. He then did a few small shows before Comedy Circus. Later, he became a household name with his shows 'Comedy Nights With Kapil' and 'The Kapil Sharma Show'. The comedian enjoys a luxurious life now. (Photo: Instagram)

Sudesh Lehri of The Kapil Sharma Show didn't have it easy. His father would earn little money and spend it on alcohol. Such were his struggles that Sudesh's family had no money to send him to school. He rather worked at a tea stall where he would get just one rupee. There were days when he and his family had nothing to eat and survived on roti with salt and water. He'd also send his kids to borrow money from others. Even though he did many award shows in Punjab, the money was not good. He even reached a point where he almost had to sell his house. At one point, he sold off his award in exchange for money from which he bought food for his family. However, his luck changed with The Great India Laughter Challenge where he stood third. He subsequently did shows like Dekh India Dekh, Comedy Circus, Comedy Classes and won several trophies. He has them proudly displayed at his plush house now. (Photo: Instagram)

Faisal Shaikh, who rose to fame with his TikTok videos on social media, did not come from a financially sound background. His father had a hectic job and was unhappy to see him wasting his time making videos for social media. He started off by creating transition videos during his college days which became popular. Then he did a lip sync video of Salman Khan’s dialogue on Dubsmash. They became viral and brands started to approach him. Faisal's first income at 21 came when he was hired as a salesman on Linking Road. He then worked for a perfume store where he ended up breaking a bottle and paying two months of his salary to the owner. Once his videos took off, there was no looking back for him. (Photo: Instagram)

MC Stan is known to be proud of rising from the slums and making it big in the world of rap. The 23-year-old calls himself 'Basti Ki Hasti'. MC Stan comes from a poor family. His parents were unhappy with him for his choice of career but he turned around things with his rap songs. Some of his popular songs and rap battles have helped him reach close to 3 million subscribers on YouTube. He also has 2.3 million followers on Instagram. From sleeping in rickshaws to now driving in luxury cars, MC Stan has come a long way. He also owns shoes that cost Rs 80K and a snake chain that is worth over a crore. Before he participated in Bigg Boss 16, his mother bought a TV worth Rs 70,000 to see him on the reality show. (Photo: Instagram)