From Selling Pens And Dancing On The Streets Of Mumbai To Becoming One Of Bollywood's Legendary Actors, 'House Of Laughter', Who Turns 66 Today, Has A Net Worth Rs 245 Crore

Success Story: In every role he has played, Indian actor Johnny Lever has made us all chuckle. He can be regarded as the first standup comedian in the business and one of the best humorous actors. Because of his long and successful career, you would assume that he is one of the Bollywood stars who was fortunate enough to be born into a world of dreams and was born with a silver spoon, but you are unaware of the hardest time in his life. His real name was John Rao Prakash Rao Janumala, and he was born into a Telugu Christian family of middle status. In other words, he had to endure a lot of hardships before demonstrating that "dreams do come true." So, on the occasion of his 66th birthday, let's take a look at the life of a man who has made us laugh for generations, appeared in more than 300 films, and motivated countless others to pursue their dreams of becoming a comedian!

Dancing On The Streets Of Mumbai

Johnny Lever was raised on the winding streets of Dharavi, Mumbai. He was born to a Christian Telugu family in Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh. Johnny's family—which also included three sisters and two brothers—was supported by his father's meager earnings as an operator at Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL). Johnny had to quit school in 7th grade and start working odd jobs due to financial difficulties. Johnny did it all, from impersonating Bollywood actors to dancing and selling pens on the streets of Mumbai. Despite all of these challenges, young Johnny's true love of comedy grew, and these encounters had a significant impact on who he is now. He spent some time in Hyderabad's historic Yakutpura, where he mastered the art of comedic acting.

Johnny To Lever

Johnny's father started taking him to work at HUL after a while. He was shocked to learn that his son's mimicking abilities made him more popular among his peers than his job. It was the company's annual celebration, where he imitated some senior HUL personnel, that provided this latent talent with the stage it needed to shine. He was known as Johnny "Lever" as a result of his absolutely brilliant performance, and he always carried that nickname with him. The encouragement gave Johnny more confidence and inspired him to work harder to pursue his passion. Opportunities for stand-up comedy events soon flooded in.

India's First Stand-Up Comedians

After six arduous years, he finally quit his job in 1981 to pursue a career as a full-time comic as his popularity skyrocketed. As he gained notoriety from performing stand-up comedy in orchestras, he was given the opportunity to join the Kalyanji-Anandji ensemble, which increased his visibility both domestically and abroad. Johnny Lever gradually but steadily advanced to become one of the first widely recognized stand-up comedians in India. His experience with films, though, had only begun.

Johnny Lever: King Of Comedy

'Tum Par Hum Qurban' was Johnny's first break into business. While filming for this movie, actor-director Sunil Dutt noticed his skill and offered him a part in his 1982 film, "Dard Ka Rishta." Johnny Lever has since appeared in more than 350 films, including Jalwa, Tezaab, Chaalbaaz, Kasam, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Kishen Kanhaiya, Karan Arjun, Baazigar, Khiladi, Raja Hindustani, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, Dulhe Raja, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and others.

Goal Of Making Everyone Laugh

He has demonstrated that effort counts more than good looks or wealth. He persevered through all of the difficulties without ever giving up on his goal of making everyone laugh. He currently has a sizable fan base that includes numerous well-known celebrities. For his contributions to Indian cinema, he has won numerous honors. As a result, we must conclude that he is someone from whom we can both learn and be delighted. He has shown that success can come from humble origins and that one need not be born into affluence in order to succeed. 

Johnny Lever is a legendary figure in the Indian comedy world. Lever reportedly has a net worth of 245 crores rupees. His jokes, and most importantly, his reactions, never have and never will get old. He can inject humor into the tensest and most exciting sequences or turn a villain's hideout into a house of laughter.