Vicky Kaushal's father recalls raising family in a 10×10 chawl, weeping in front of him after being insulted at work: ‘We slept on a chatai'

Indian Express

19-07-2025

Veteran action director Sham Kaushal, the father of actors Vicky Kaushal and Sunny Kaushal, opened up about being raised with simple values, and said that he inculcated the same values in his kids. In an interview, the action director said that he didn't have to give Vicky and Sunny lessons in humility, because they saw the difficulties he experienced in the film industry. For several years, the family lived in a cramped chawl, and didn't have a car to travel in. Being a below-the-line member of film crews, Sham Kaushal wouldn't always be treated with dignity and respect, which the children were made aware of as well.
In an interview with Aman Aujla on YouTube, Sham Kaushal said, 'I never put any pressure on my sons. I told them to do what made them happy, the only thing I said to them was, 'Be good human beings'. One of the biggest principles in life is that a child will learn what they see around them. Vicky and Sunny saw it all. How will a child remain honest if the parents are crooks? But if you're truly honest, you don't need to teach them anything; their impression of life will form by itself. They will grow to learn that life is meant to be lived with honesty.'
Also read – Sham Kaushal says people would offer son Vicky tea but not roles; recalls him facing humiliation during auditions: 'Iska ka kya audition lena'
He continued, 'They were both born in a 10×10 chawl. We used to sleep on a thin mattress on a cement floor. Then we moved to a bigger chawl with two rooms. Then we moved into a flat. They've seen my journey with their own eyes. They didn't have to be told about how hard life is. They've seen me when I owned a motorcycle, and then a bought a second-hand Fiat car. I would come home in the evening and cry in front of them if someone had insulted me at work. I think it's foolish for a man to hide his emotions.'
Vicky spoke about his youth in an interview with Raj Shamani on his podcast. 'When you are born into a family where somebody is working in the film industry, the advantage is that you know the harsh reality of the industry. You know that it's not all glitter and glamour and it has a flip side too. I was born and bought up in a chawl, I have lived in a 10×10 room and I have seen how my parents got furniture one by one and how we have transitioned from small spaces to big spaces. Like how we have moved from chawl to 1bhk then to 2bhk, so that struggle was never hidden from us and I always knew the flip side of this industry and that it isn't easy.'
Vicky recently delivered the biggest hit of his career, the historical drama Chhaava, which made over Rs 800 crore worldwide. Sunny was last seen in the film Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba.