Imagine a hero’s life turns into a tragedy in a day, his priorities suddenly change according to new circumstances, he struggles with even the basic necessities in his life and struggles to survive. But it gets boring. And then he starts making some money by taking small steps and never gives up while facing every challenge that life has to offer.
After working day and night continuously, he reaches such a stage of life where he gets everything that he had ever wished for. However, he still does not get rid of the trials of life. And then there comes a day when he leaves it all and decides to surrender to his passion and leave his mark in the world. Today that hero has scaled unimaginable heights, with a pure smile of contentment on his face.
He is a hero, Jeeveshu Ahluwalia, the world’s favorite, whose simple and unique jokes are today crazy all over the world. He has done around 1500 shows in different genres. Ever since he left his job and adopted humour, he has traveled all over the world. Jeeveshu has also been a part of reality shows, various TV commercials and the Bollywood film ‘Tamasha’.
This 40-year-old Punjabi, ‘Maa Ka Ladla’ shares his life journey with fun.
“I was born in a normal house. Life took a turn when I was only four years old and my father passed away. The hard time in my life had just begun. I didn’t have a lunch box, a new school bag and books because we didn’t have that much money. All my things were on loan. My notebooks were covered with old newspapers. I studied in government school. We didn’t even have money for basic things.
We didn’t even have a TV. We slept on mats as we did not have beds and mattresses. We grew up in such circumstances. After reaching 10th standard I realized that I have only one option and that is to earn money. That’s why I started a comic library because I loved Hindi comics. I used to rent books for 50 paise or one rupee. I used to put comics on a sheet in my small garage and put all kinds of tempting things in the bag for the customers. Earning money was the only objective for me.
After that I tried my hand at many small jobs. I used to go door to door selling biscuits, juices, watches and incense sticks. I used to earn up to Rs 30 a day and use that money to buy myself watches, sunglasses, slippers and all the other things that sixteen year old boys like.
After some time I got my first job in PVR. It was the first multiplex in India. I worked there as a torch man. I worked there for a year and later I was fired. I wanted to make money as soon as possible and for this I started selling tickets in black. One day I was caught and the policemen thrashed me fiercely. (At that time it was the only way to improve children)
Now I wanted to go to college, have girlfriends and live life with everyone’s dreams. But I realized that survival had become my first priority and money was needed for that. I worked as a delivery boy and waiter at Pizza Hut with my mind. After working for three years, I left this job and joined a newly opened restaurant. My college and my work were going on simultaneously. Because of this, I scored third division in college. Obviously I did not get admission anywhere for MBA.
One day a friend of mine told me about the launch of GE and I landed there for a job and this is where my call-center journey began. After working here for 14 years, I became the director of this company. I got married at the age of 29 and got divorced a year later. Then I realized that I have succeeded in profession but failed in personal life.
I managed 700 people in the office at once but could not handle one woman in my life.
Apart from this, my life went very well. There was rest all around. At the end of the month, I used to have a good check in my hand. I used to travel business class and stay in the most expensive hotels. I had a French cut beard for a long time. One morning when I was looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed that my French cut has turned completely white. At that moment I felt a strong jolt and I began to feel a strange intense uneasiness to come out of this life. I was waiting for the voice that would point me towards what was my destiny. Thankfully that voice found me.
I got an invitation from “open mic” where I got a chance to speak for two minutes and I felt great after that. And today I found the introduction of a better life. Eight years later, I quit my job and everything I had and went on to become a stand-up comedian.
Many challenges arose. It is easiest to give up on a front, but the most difficult to stick to it. I realized that we should never compare ourselves with others and their achievements. The most important thing is to know what you have to do. The first few months I did not earn money but learned to live. In my first job I traveled a lot and I used to need rest one day after coming back, travels still have to be done but the pond of rest is never felt now. This is the ego change of my life as well as progress.
There are a lot of people who judge me as fat, divorced, short, and just plain looking. People have their own decision. But I think all these things motivate you to do better. If I get off the Wagon R, people will think differently and if I get off a Porsche or Mercedes, people will call me the cute boy of the house while eating and drinking.
I want to tell everyone that life is too short. Keep smiling because you always have a thousand reasons to be sad, but find reasons to be happy and keep them. Always look at the little things as they happen again and again in life. Do yourself a favor – just stop living and start living.
This article is a part of our series “Bashar Ki Board” which is a translated version of the article originally written in English by Jeeveshu Ahluwalia. The credit for translation goes to Anubha Tiwari.
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