Mithun Chakraborty says he has always been ‘disrespected’ for his skin colour: ‘I used to cry myself to sleep’

Mithun Chakraborty has said that he was disrespected and “called out” for his skin colour and often cried himself to sleep. The veteran actor was recalling his tough times on the singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs. Mithun will be seen on the show during the Celebrating Disco Kings special episode alongside Padmini Kolhapure. (Also read: This Bappi Lahiri Disco Dancer song is China’s Covid-19 lockdown protest)

Mithun said, “I never want anybody to go through what I have gone through in life. Everyone has seen struggles and fought through difficult days, but I was always called out for my skin colour. I have been disrespected for a lot of years because of my skin colour and I have seen days when I had to sleep with an empty stomach, and I used to cry myself to sleep. In fact, there were days when I had to think about what my next meal will be, and where I will go to sleep. I have also slept on the footpath for a lot of days.”

He added that this is also a reason why he does not anyone to make his biopic because he would not want anyone else to mentally go through all that he did. “And that’s the only reason I don’t want my biopic to be ever made! My story will never inspire anyone, it will break them down (mentally) and discourage people from achieving their dreams. I don’t want that to happen! If I can do it, anyone else can do it. I have fought a lot to prove myself in this industry. I am not legendary because I have given hit movies, I am a legend because I have surpassed all the pains and struggles of my life,” he said.

Mithun made his film debut in 1976 with Mrigayaa for which he won a National Award. He went on to star in a number of commercially successful films in the 80s and 90s like Disco Dancer, Wardat, Boxer, and Agneepath among others. he moved to character roles in the 2000s and was last seen in this year’s sleeper hit The Kashmir Files.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs airs at 9pm weekends on Zee TV. The show has musicians Shankar Mahadevan, Anu Malik and Neeti Mohan on the judges’ panel.