“We all make plans, but the almighty has the last word...” This is a moniker that many from the acting industry have been examples of. For many, the profession was always a prime aspiration yet there are even more who accidentally ended as actors. When questioned about their success mantra, their reaction is always amusing since they never intended to act in the first place! Good at academics and other skills, most actors and technicians would have followed a different path before the glitz and glamour struck them. Bengaluru Chronicle reports on actors who were already on a professional path with degrees like MBA, dentistry, MBBS, engineering, science, etc, yet landed up being a crucial part of the glam industry.
With an MBA degree, this actress, who is now a brave lady debuting in the film Dhairyam on the silver screen, and is also the prettiest snake woman on the small screen in the serial Nagakannike, Aditi Prabhudeva shares that she took up work in the film industry to earn extra pocket money. “I never dreamt of getting into acting. I come from a conservative family with my father practicing medicine in Davangere. I had several lucrative job offers but when I realised that there were lakhs of engineers out there but only a few actresses, I changed my path.”
For Milana Nagaraj, an engineering degree in computer science was her primary focus till she eventually took up modelling and acting as she was never interested in taking up a routine job in engineering.
Insofar as talented director PC Sekar, a software engineer, is concerned, he has since silenced critics with the outstanding film Raaga. Sekar feels that he was just another student before an unexpected event in his life changed everything. “In 2002, while I was doing my MCA, I happened to visit the film shoot of Pithamagan featuring Vikram, Surya directed by Bala. We were having lunch when I openly expressed that film making was easy and that he had to learn the technical basics. And, everyone started laughing at me, saying that if it was that easy then everyone would have started making films. I took it as a challenge,” Sekar smiles.
Another engineer-turned-actor-director, Rakshit Shetty, who recently announced he will be getting engaged to actress Rashmika Mandanna, says that his experience as a student led him to films. He had penned the successful Kirik Party during college days which was based on his experience as a student. “I had penned my most cherished days in college while studying engineering. I had written it to cast myself,” he says.
There is even a scientist who took up acting. Vidya Pradeep, who made her debut in the Kannada film Bangara s/o Bangarada Manushya has a master degree in Biology and a Ph.D. in stem cells. She is also a junior scientist working at a hospital in Chennai. For her though, the best part is that she still manages to work as a researcher when not shooting. Actor Dhananjay too quit his lucrative job as a software engineer. After securing a rank in academics, he worked for Infosys but developed an interest in theatre and films.
Actress-director Nithya Ramesh, who despite studying industrial engineering and management studies, started writing scripts with a dream to shine as an actress, wanted to direct at least one horror film. She now assists Ram Gopal Verma in the directorial and casting department,
The other intellectuals
KICCHA SUDEEP has a degree in engineering, industrial and production from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering.
RAMESH ARAVIND was a topper in school, and has an engineering degree.
AINDRITA RAY is a dentist with a bachelor’s degree in dental science from MR Ambedkar Dental College.
NEETHU GOWDA is a dentist and model.
ESTER NAROHNA is a trained classical dancer, Carnatic vocalist, a multi-lingual (six languages including Konkani and Tulu) actress with a post-graduate in political science and is further pursuing another double degree in MBA.
