Meet one of highest-paid actresses, who was rejected for dark skin tone, survived on 1 vada pav; then became star at 17

Written By Riya Sharma | Updated: Jul 06, 2024, 08:22 AM IST

Sumbul Touqueer Khan

This actress, who was once rejected for her dark skin tone, later became a star at 17.

Many actresses started their careers at a young age, however, very few of them were able to make it to the top. One such actress, who once faced rejection due to her skin tone, has now become one of the highest-paid stars. 

The actress we are talking about once survived on just one meal, however, later became the owner of a lavish house at the age of 19. She is none other than Sumbul Touqeer Khan. 

Sumbul Touqeer Khan was born in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and lived in Katni, Madhya Pradesh until she was six. At age six, her parents separated and her father Touqeer Hasan Khan brought Sumbul and her younger sister Saniya to Delhi, where they spent the next 5–6 years before moving to Mumbai. 

When they came to Mumbai, Sumbul and her family had to go through a number of struggles. There was a time when her family survived on one meal a day, which would be a vada pav. She revealed in an interview, “I remember how he sold everything before coming to Mumbai. Although the days of our struggle were not too many, they were tough. There used to be days when the only meal for the day would be one vada pav but we never complained. In fact, vada pav has saved the lives of so many strugglers in Mumbai who have very little money with them.”

Sumbul started her acting career with supporting roles as a child in Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal and Jodha Akbar. However, before she got her first break, the actress had to face several rejections due to her skin colour. 

Before she made her grand debut as the lead in the television industry, she played several roles in hit shows like Gangaa, Balveer, Chandragupta Maurya, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Waaris, Aahat, and more. However, one show changed her life and made her a star at the age of 17. The actress played a lead role in the show Imlie, which went on to be the TRP topper for several months. The show won her several awards and made her audience’s favourite.

After this, she participated in the reality television show Bigg Boss 16 and has now become one of the highest-paid actresses on television. She reportedly charged Rs 12 lakh per week in Bigg Boss and was the youngest contestant of that season. She is now winning hearts with her performance in the television show, Kavya – Ek Jazbaa, Ek Junoon. She reportedly charges Rs 70,000 to 80,000 per episode and lives in a luxurious house in Mumbai. The actress has a net worth in crores at just 19 years of age and lives a luxurious life.

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