Socha tha kya, kya ho gaya?

By: Reshma Kelkar, IndiaFM

Monday, May 29, 2006

Salman Khan had once said that he always wanted to be a director and took up acting only because no one took him seriously as a filmmaker. Have you ever thought how these actors got into acting? While the world outside is dying to get that one break to enter Bollywood, what's amusing is that when you ask most of the established names in the industry on how they landed as actors, most have to say that acting was never their first career choice. "It was never a conscious decision" is the common reply and we wonder how fluke favors only those who don't ask for it.

We quizzed this question to some Bollywood actors to know that if not an actor, what they would have become. Let's check who wanted to be what.

Salman Khan
Salman Khan never wanted to be an actor but a director. When he used to go to people with the scripts, people used to say why you want to be a director, you should be an actor. He was not getting any work as a director as he was a small boy then considered to be not very serious about his work. "Directors at that time were 50-60 years old and looked very mature. And no one would trust me with that much of money at stake", says Salman. But since he had to work, he started modeling and joined acting classes, riding classes and everything. Finally, he signed a film.

Kim Sharma
Kim Sharma wanted to be a lawyer. She says, "My mother thought I'll be a lawyer one day. I can argue well so she used to tell me that you should be a lawyer and it stuck in my head. I wanted to take law. But eventually acting happened to me by fluke. I never planned my career, it just happened".

Ashmit Patel
Coming from a business background, Ashmit was never interested in joining their family business. He says, "I was more inclined towards cricket and had an ambition to be part of Indian cricket team. I mean I wanted to be cricketer when I was young and after that I thought of becoming a pilot but finally landed in acting."

Kareena Kapoor
Kareena wanted to be a lawyer and after completing her 12th she took an admission in Government Law College at Churchgate. But being a Kapoor she couldn't resist her acting talent. And after completing a year she moved on to Bollywood.

Sameer Dharmadhikari
A mechanical Engineer by qualification, Sameer Dharmadhikari is basically from Pune. While working for with RND in Pune he did theatre. He played the great Maratha warrior Madhavrao Peshva that turned out to be an inspiration for him also and compelled him to join silver screen.

Sanjay Suri
Actor Sanjay Suri wanted to be a sports person. He says, "I never wanted to become an actor, but a sportsman. I was more inclined towards sports like squash and basketball, but it was fate that I became a model and later, an actor. Fate may take you to quick fame, but after that it's your hard work alone that helps you achieve your goal"

Sandhya Mridul
Actress Sandhya Mridul says, "I wanted to be a lawyer like my father. He was a judge and I wanted to follow him. Somewhere from within I always knew that I came from family where my dad was a judge, my uncle went on to become a lawyer and someday I too would be one. I tried not to be an actor. I didn't do law but I went into marketing but there is something that you want to do.

Saif Ali Khan
Saif wanted to be a cricketer like his father and grandfather but as he grew up he developed more interest towards her mother's profession of acting. He took up acting but his interest always made him to play for charity matches. "I used to regret not being a cricketer until recently. But then it was never a serious career option for me", quips Saif.

Mahima Chaudhary
Being a good athlete from her school days Mahima never thought that she will be a part of Bollywood. I could be an athlete if not an actress as I was very good in athletics, table tennis and hockey. In fact she was a game captain at tenth standard.

Juhi Babbar
An award winning costume designer from NIFT, Juhi did costumes professionally for mother Nadira Babbar's theatre group Ekjute for some time. While working with mother Juhi got inclined towards acting and began her career with Kaash Aap Hamare Hote opposite Sonu Nigam.

Sushma Reddy
Sushma says, "I wanted to be in business. Though I got good modeling opportunities I never thought of modeling. I never planned acting too."

Sameer Dattani
"I really don't know what I would have been. One strong ambition was to become a formula one racer. I wanted to become another Michael Schumacher but I think that is some thing all boys want to do. They love to drive fast cars."

Minnisha Lamba
Yahaan fame Minnisha Lamba was a student of English literature and wanted to be an award winning journalist. "My parents were extremely happy when films happened. They said "Ok! At least she won't blow herself to bits in some east European country!" I am still their little baby. But that was one thing that I was thrilled with. While in college I joined theatre and I got into acting by complete fluke. I used to do modeling in Delhi along with college".