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AnaShah

@Anashah

Dazzler

Posted: 17 years ago

< content=10/31/2007 name=date>

All these TV actors all trained for the boardroom. So why have they chosen the shooting floors?

Back to Section Stories Posted On Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Sandhya Mridul

Qualification: B.Sc (Maths), MBA (Marketing)

I worked with KLM Airlines and later I was heading the Cargo Division. I always had a creative urge and certain restlessness. That's why I consciously decided to quit and see what came along. I am generally a risk taker. I bumped into Tony and Deeya Singh, producers of the show Banegi Apni Baat, who offered me a major role in it. There are times when I have no work and I think of the job security at KLM and feel like getting back to it. Five years from now, I don't know what I will be doing.

Vineet Raina

Qualification: A 3-year-Advanced Diploma in Computer Software, Hardware, Telecommunications and Network Engineering in 2003

I worked for Maruti Udyog in Kashmir. But alongside I did a few serials for Doordarshan Kashmir. I moved to Mumbai armed with two degrees and applied for jobs in companies like Wipro, ICICI etc. I was offered Mulk on Zee TV but after that I had no work for eight months. I again gave job interviews, but then Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai came along. I still update myself constantly with technology, in case my showbiz career does not last!

Manav Gohil

Qualification: MBA, Marketing (1998)

After completing my MBA in marketing, I marketed everything from credit cards, magazines, travel and tourism etc for six years. I even opened my own marketing consultancy firm. I was a model in Baroda. I came to Mumbai for modelling Contrary to other actors, I was never offered much work. In 1999, I hosted a travel show called Patli Galli for Channel V. My first big break was in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki in 2001.

Mini Mathur

Qualification: MBA. Worked with Hindustan Thompson Associates for two years.

I hadn't planned to be in television ever. Television just came my way and every show was through a knock on my door. Even when MTV happened in 2000 I was in Delhi and they asked me to go straight for the VJ Hunt finals. I didn't even audition because I was happy with my work in Delhi. When I got through, however, I decided to come to Mumbai and see how I would fare here. I think I never really witnessed a struggle because I always had a backup career."

Mandira Bedi

Qualification: Post-graduate in advertising. Joined O & M as a copy writer and trained under Prahlad Kakkar for 4 months.

I come from a background where nobody is into acting so it was understood that I would do my MBA and get into a corporate job. But after appearing for all the competitive tests I realised that MBA was not for me. I was never a corporate professional, but my first job offer was as creative writer in an ad agency … but I did not take it up. And while I was working on a project with Prahlad Kakkar, director-writer of Shanti, Adi Pocha, saw me and offered me Shanti."

Anuj Saxena

Qualification: MBBS from Grant Medical College in 1991. A practising doctor for five-and-a-half years

One day in 1993, on our way to Shirdi my friend Viveck Vaswani asked me if I would like to act. Viveck had completed Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. My friends and I had a hearty laugh as I couldn't speak one word of Hindi, acting to duur ki baat… I did Sar Aankho Pe in 1993 opposite Shruti Ulfat. My TV debut was with Viveck's show Aasmaan Se Aagey opposite Amrita Singh. And then I got a call from Balaji Telefilms for Kkusum at the end of Jan, 2001. The rest is history…"

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