Born in Bangalore, India, he gained fame as a child actor in the critically acclaimed 1988 film "Salaam Bombay!" directed by Mira Nair. His portrayal of a street child earned international recognition and the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Despite early success, he faced challenges transitioning to further roles in film. Later, he worked as an auto-rickshaw driver in Bangalore, embodying a life story marked by both early cinematic success and humble resilience.