THIS actor was a 'butcher' before working alongside Aamir Khan

Vipin Sharma, best known for his powerful portrayal of a strict father in Aamir Khan’s critically acclaimed film Taare Zameen Par, has opened up about the difficult journey that led him to success.

In a candid interview, Vipin Sharma recalled the years of hardship and emotional turmoil he experienced before becoming a familiar face in Indian cinema.

Before finding fame alongside Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par, Vipin Sharma had given up acting altogether and moved to Canada in search of a better life.

However, a turning point came when he attended a workshop in Toronto. “After attending the workshop in Canada, I realised that there is nothing else in my life except acting, and I can’t do anything else,” Vipin Sharma revealed.

“So I threw all my belongings on the street in Toronto and bought a one-way ticket back to India.”

Vipin Sharma explained the reasons that drove him to leave India initially. Growing up in a slum, he struggled with dissatisfaction and anger at the system.

“I used to argue a lot, and I didn’t like giving bribes to reserve train seats. I once pulled the emergency chain on a train and was made to get off at a random station at night,” he recalled.

“They told me, ‘If you can’t afford 10 rupees for a sleeper berth, then you don’t deserve to travel by the train.’”

Before working with Aamir Khan and earning widespread recognition, Vipin Sharma worked in various restaurants to survive. He shared an experience from his time as an assistant chef at an Irish restaurant, where he had to handle raw meat despite being a vegetarian.

“I had no money and no prospects. I prayed to God, asking if this was His plan for me. The next day, I got my first editing job at a major channel in Toronto,” he said.

Since Taare Zameen Par, Vipin Sharma has appeared in numerous high-profile projects, including Monkey Man (2024), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Hotel Mumbai (2018), and the series Paatal Lok (2020). He was most recently seen in Crime Beat alongside Saqib Saleem, Rajesh Tailang, and Rahul Bhat.