From cleaning toilets to delivering Newspapers: Gippy Grewal recalls working 3-4 jobs to survive in Canada

The world often sees success but rarely the struggles that come before it. One such inspiring story is that of Punjabi singer and actor Gippy Grewal. The actor, who is gearing up for the release of Carry On Jatta 4, recently opened up about the hardships he faced while living in Canada, where he worked multiple jobs, from being a security guard to cleaning malls and toilets, to make ends meet.

Gippy is one of the most recognized names in Punjabi cinema and music. Over the years, he has delivered several hit songs, including ‘’Phulkari,'' ‘’Angreji Beat,'' and ‘’Marjawaan.''

Gippy Grewal worked multiple jobs in Canada

While promoting Carry On Jatta 4, Gippy recalled a time when he had to juggle three to four jobs a day, even after releasing his first few music albums.

During a conversation with Bharti TV, Gippy shared how he and his wife took up multiple jobs to support themselves while living in Canada.

Coming from a farmer's family, Gippy revealed that he had borrowed money to produce his first album, which failed commercially. His second album also met the same fate. By the time he released his third album, he was married and had moved to Canada with his wife. The couple struggled financially and worked hard to survive.

However, Gippy believes things began to change after his marriage.

“After getting married, they say your stars align. One song from the third album was picked up, and that worked. That became my first hit. It was playing at every wedding. That song changed my life,” he shared as he recalled his first hit “Phulkari.

Recalling how his song became a hit in Canada, and was played everywhere. But despite the song's success, he worked as a security guard as his career was not making him any money.

“I used to work as a security guard back then. Even though my song was a hit, I had to make money to survive and for my family. I knew that until I have a high income as a performer or singer, I needed to work to pay the bills,” he said.

Worked as a security guard despite having a hit song

Gippy remembered how Phulkari became popular in Canada and was played everywhere. However, the song's success did not make him any money.

“She would go to work at Subway at 6 am, work there till 4 pm, and then work as a security guard. That’s how I also got the job at the same place,” he recalled as he shared how he used to sit outside a closed factory through the night.

“I had to make a call every two hours after inspecting and say ‘Everything is safe and secure’. Just memorising that line took me two days. My English was quite limited back then,” he said.

Among many odd jobs, he also worked as a guard till 4 am. Not only this, but after this, he had to pick up his wife, and then they went on to distribute newspapers for two hours.

Had to clean toilets; wife worked multiple jobs too

Not only this, but they also worked as cleaners in a mall, where his wife was cleaning trays at a food cart, and he was sweeping the floors of the mall.

“I had to do everything. I had to clean the toilets also,” he said.

“In other jobs, I would make 8 dollars, but in the mall cleaning job, I would get almost 13 dollars. Like with the newspapers, my wife and I would think that this is our time together. So we would keep talking the whole time and get done with that job in two hours,” he shared.