TV folks talk about how they got into acting!

MUMBAI: Bollywood is one of the biggest industries in India and provides employment to lakhs of people. Passionate and talented individuals can have a bright future here if they know the tricks. We often think being an actor is child’s play, but this is not true. Every successful actor has a story of struggle.

Read on to know how some of our favourite TV celebs got into acting.

Sanjay Gagnani 

My school and my parents always encouraged me to participate in co-curricular activities. Slowly and gradually, I realized that I was good at entertaining viewers and a good sportsperson. Due to the exposure I got, I became a very important part of all events at school and college. I was always on the front foot during these events held in school. I would make a team, choreograph Bollywood songs to perform at school, and entertain all the students. I became a state-level basketball player too. I was good at table tennis, swimming, and handball. I understood that I felt confident, happy, and successful whenever viewers cheered me when I was performing, as an entertainer or as a sportsperson. That’s when I knew I born to entertain.

Ashish Trivedi 

Mr Bachchan and SRK always inspired me with their charm. After completing my college, I got to know about one TVC audition happening in Delhi from one my photographer friend. It was my very first audition. I always had this thought in my mind that I am a born actor and auditions are like peanuts for me but I was so embarrassed when I got out of that studio because I literally puked in front of the camera. Then I decided to learn what actually actors do and what acting means. Knowing the process of acting is really important. Since then, I’m still learning something new every day.

Nishant Malkani 

To be very honest, I think, even as a child, I had a dream of being famous…being a star, being appreciated, being loved by the masses. I remember because when I was, I think 13 or 14 years old, my friends gave me a scrapbook to fill and there was a question where it was written, ‘What do you see yourself as after 10 years from now?’ So, I had innocently written ‘As a star’. I think that the seed of wanting to be a star and an actor has always been there in me. Of course, at that time, my friends made fun of me and really embarrassed me. But coming from a middle-class background, nobody could even imagine that one day any one of us can become a national face or a celebrity. I think destiny had different plans, and one day while travelling in a metro train in Calcutta, a casting director spotted me and asked me to give an audition. The audition was for Miley Jab Hum Tum on Star One channel. And that was my first ever audition as an actor. And it clicked, I got the part.

Atul Verma 

It was my parents who inspired me to get into acting. Their endless support and faith in me kept me very positive during my initial days of career. After leaving my job, starting a new career was not that easy. Today whatever I am it’s just because of them. I still remember the day my dad saw me for the first time on TV, he was so happy that I can't really express it in words. From there, I decided that acting would be my world.

Manuj Nagpal

Acting is my childhood dream. When anyone asks a small 5- or 6-year-old kid what he wants to become when he grows up, children say doctor, pilot or engineer. I used to always say 'hero banunga' and everyone used to laugh. We are two brothers and one sister, so actually this was my father's dream that one of my kids should definitely go into the entertainment industry because he wanted to become an actor but didn't really get support from the family. He passed away 4 years ago. I really miss him a lot, and I dedicate everything in my life to my Papa.