Mithun Chakraborty made his debut in the movies with the 1976 film Mrigayaa and even won a National Award for the same but when he started his struggle in Mumbai, Mithun had no resources and didn't even know how he would find his next meal. In an earlier interview, Mithun said that he spent many nights sleeping in gardens and roads, and even contemplated suicide at one point. In a chat with ETC, Mithun said, "I won't call them struggling days because a lot of kids might lose hope. Everyone struggles but my struggling has been so much that. I have come from the footpath, literally. There have been many days I spent in Bombay where I would sleep in Five Garden. Sometimes I would sleep outside a hostel. A friend of mine got me a membership at Matunga Gymkhana so I could use the facilities in the morning." The Disco Dancer actor recalled that after using the facilities there, he would head out for the day but had no idea how he would find food through the day, and where he would end up for the night. "I didn't even know where I would get my next meal from. And where I would sleep," he said. Mithun added that he did not want to "break the hearts of those who are struggling, because people might lose hope after listening to this." When asked if he ever lost hope during this phase of his life, Mithun said, "There was a time when I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. I even contemplated suicide at one point. I could not go back to Calcutta because of my political background and I couldn't do something (here)." Mithun reportedly came from a Naxalite background. Even after Mrigayaa, it took some time for the industry to recognise the talent of the actor. But, after films like Disco Dancer, he became the biggest star of the era.
