The reality of Bollywood is far stretched from what we perceive in movies. Most of the actors in this industry never dreamed of being a celebrity one day. Some of them struggled every day doing odd jobs while others were ambitious about a completely different field of interest. As fate shined, these stars quit their jobs to pursue their career in Bollywood.
In this article, we have stories of what Bollywood stars were doing before they entered the film industry.
1. Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar used to be a chef and waiter in a Bangkok-based restaurant. He is also a black belt in Taekwondo and studied Martial Arts in Bangkok. Akshay after returning to his homeland wanted to become a Martial Arts teacher.
However, fate took him to a different direction altogether and he ventured into films. Now he is a common name across every Indian household who enjoy his action and comedy hits.
2. Boman Irani
Boman Irani had his fair share of struggle. He simultaneously worked as a waiter and room service attendant at Taj Mahal Hotel before getting a break in the industry. He also helped his mother in running their ancestral bakery shop in Mumbai.
He was a shy, dyslexic kid, who didn’t talk till the 7th grade and growing up was never easy for him. He had a speech defect and lisp, till the 10th grade. His father died three months before Boman Imran was born.
During his schooling days, he would watch movies frequently at the Alexander Cinema daily after school hours. His mother encouraged him to watch the movies, to observe their cinematography and art.
According to a reliable source, he dropped out of school to support his family. He became a waiter at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai for two years. One day, unfortunately, his mother met with an accident. Following that, he alone took over his family business- selling chips in a small shop on Grant Road, South Mumbai till he was 32 years.
While working at the Taj, with the tips that he received, Irani bought a camera. He developed an interest in photography and he started learning it step by step. He took sports pictures regarding school cricket and football matches and sold them for twenty to thirty rupees, which he enjoyed till after marriage.
Finally, his intensity, tenacity, hard work, grit and determination towards his passion paid off when he became the official photographer for the world cup of boxing in India. He then grew from strength to strength and went on to have a glorious career in photography.
Boman Irani started his acting career in theatre and moved to films in 2000. Irani shot into prominence for his role in the 2003 comedy Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.. He then appeared in Lage Raho Munna Bhai for which he received many IIFA award nominations.
In 3 Idiots opposite Aamir Khan, he earned a Filmfare Award and a Star Screen Award for Best Actor in a Villainous Role. Acting had always been a passion for Irani during school and college days. He trained under an acting coach named Hansraj Siddhia from 1981 to 1983 and followed some professional acting techniques.
Today, Boman Irani is a popular Indian film actor, voice artist and photographer. He has thrived in comic and villain roles in Bollywood films like Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Don, 3 Idiots, Happy New Year and Dilwale.