Starry Eyed

Naturally so,his father was miffed about his move,but Misra decided to give himself two years to try his luck in Bollywood. “I had enough savings to buy me a flat and survive in Mumbai for two years,” he says,admitting that it was not an easy feeling to abandon a secure job. It was only after he was able to bag a small role in Prakash Jha’s Turning 30,followed by Chillar Party where he played a lawyer,and as Rani Mukerjee’s boss in No One Killed Jessica,that he knew he was on the right track.

Like Misra,there are several others who have given up the cocoon of comfort and conformity to follow their passion for acting. Incidentally,the story of Sangha,the producer of LBZ,is not too different. This marketing and advertising student gave up his academics in New York midway to make a mark in Bollywood. “There was a little store I found nearby my place in New York,selling Hindi film CDs and DVDs. It was here that I indulged my love for Hindi movies,” says Sangha,who has worked as an assistant director in Manhattan for Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Na Ho and debuted as director with LBZ.

Call it an urge to do something different,a mid-life career change or the courage to swim against the tide — these people are treading the path chosen by themselves and not dictated by convention. It was almost a decade ago that Mumbai-based lawyer,Satyajit Bhatkal,bid adieu to the courts to be able to narrate stories,and what better than bringing them to life on screen. After working on a documentary,titled Chale Chalo,a behind-the-scenes film in which he followed Aamir Khan on the sets of Lagaan,Bhatkal wrote televised series called Bombay Lawyers for NDTV and this year,he wrote the script of India’s first child superhero film,Zokkomon.

Then there is Aseem Tiwari,who debuted in I Hate Luv Storys,after leaving the job of a Wall Street investment banker. “In 2004,I chucked my job and backpacked across Europe and Africa,scaling Mount Kilimanjaro and making my way back to India via Ladakh. I was 25 and I wanted to do something new and different,” says the actor.

UTV Stars anchor,Shamoly Khera,is another dream catcher. The girl gave up her career in medicine and an invitation from Cardiff University to pursue creative arts. “I had to fill this vacuum within me,” says the 25-year-old,who joined Barry John’s acting school two years ago. Today,Khera is running her blog,a music magazine,is trying out theatre,besides hosting two shows on UTV Stars.

Looks like the stars of today are made of different stuff.