Hinduja began his career in his father's textile and trading businesses in Mumbai, India, and Tehran, Iran. One of his first big coups, in the early 1960s, was the acquisition of the overseas rights to the Indian blockbuster Sangam. Hinduja distributed and promoted the film in Middle Eastern markets and its success earned him millions. Other successful businesses Hinduja initiated in his early career included the sale of food commodities (onions and potatoes) and iron ore from India to Iran.