Yahoo Finance Carpenter, waiter, chemist: Odd jobs celebs took up before making it on the big screen
The entertainment business abounds in stories of common people working simple or odd jobs who eventually made it big in the cinema world. These actual rags to riches stories are the stuff of legend and feel like they’ve been taken straight out of the plot of a movie.
Following are some examples of these famous actors and actresses who made a prominent mark in the film industry after beginning their career working odd jobs:
Rajinikanth
Before breaking into the film industry, he worked in a variety of jobs. After completing his education, Rajinikanth worked as a dockworker and carpenter, eventually landing a job as a bus conductor. He began his career by appearing in several plays, followed by his enrollment at the Madras Film Institute to study acting. His first film role was in 1975's Apoorva Raagangal.
Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi completed her education and pursued a career as a fashion designer. She began her career as a costume designer with Mera Dil Leke Dekho (2006). She did not have to struggle because she came from a prominent movie family. She received her first major break in Bollywood in 2010 when she co-starred in Dabangg with Salman Khan.
Akshay Kumar
He initially moved to Bangkok, intending to teach martial arts. While there, he began learning mixed martial arts while working as a waiter and sommelier. When he arrived in India, he started teaching martial arts in Mumbai. When one of his students suggested he try modeling, his life changed dramatically. He got his first modeling job, and soon his first role in the film Saugandh.
Parineeti Chopra
She went to London for further education aged just 17. She was in charge of the food section at the Manchester United fan club, which allowed her to learn about soccer. She moved to Mumbai in 2009, where she lived with her cousin Priyanka Chopra. She started her career as a student trainee for Yash Raj Films. In 2011, she made her acting debut as the lead in Ladies vs Ricky Bahl.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
After completing his undergrad degree at the Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya in Haridwar, he worked as a chemist in Vadodara. Following that, he relocated to Delhi in search of opportunities. He found the field of cinema appealing after attending a play in Delhi. Before being accepted to the National School of Drama, he appeared in several productions. His early acting career began with a supporting role in the film Sarfarosh.
Ranveer Singh
After completing his undergraduate studies at Indiana University in the US, he returned to India and found work in advertising. He made his film debut in 2010 with Yash Raj Films’ Band Baaja Baraat, in which he co-starred with Anushka Sharma as the character Darmani. Today he has established himself as one of Bollywood's major stars.
Riteish Deshmukh
He received his architecture degree from Mumbai's Kamla Raheja College of Architecture and then worked for a year as an architect for an overseas architectural firm. His film career began in 2003 with the Bollywood film Tujhe Meri Kasam, in which he co-starred with Genelia D'Souza.
Boman Irani
He finished a two-year waiter training program at Mumbai's Mithibai College. He began working as a server at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower after completing his education. It took him two years at Taj Mahal Palace before being promoted and eventually hired as a server at Rendezvous, the hotel's top-floor cafe. While on a self-discovery journey, he got a job as a photojournalist, finally filming for the first time when he turned 41.
