From classroom to stardom: Celebs who were teachers
Did you know that ‘Wolverine’ star Hugh Jackman was once a physical education teacher at Uppingham School in England? Likewise, Mayim Bialik, who portrayed neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler on the popular TV series ‘The Big Bang Theory’, holds a PhD in neuroscience. Be it in Hollywood, Bollywood or even the Bengali film industry, several actors and filmmakers pursued careers in education before making their mark in the world of cinema. On Teachers’ Day, ‘Millennium Post’ lists the celebrities who were also teachers in real life.
Balraj Sahni: The ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ actor, who had a master’s degree in English literature, enjoyed a short stint at Visva-Bharati teaching English.
Kader Khan: Before venturing into Bollywood, the late actor was a professor of civil engineering. His passion for teaching was so profound that even after leaving the film industry, he remained dedicated to his role as an educator.
Anupam Kher: He’s one of the go-to acting coaches in Bollywood. His institution, ‘Actor Prepares’, has produced a remarkable list of alumni, featuring stars like Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani and Hrithik Roshan.
Kiara Advani: In the popular OTT original ‘Lust Stories’, Kiara Advani portrayed the role of a schoolteacher. Interestingly, before achieving fame in Bollywood, she worked as a playschool teacher in real life.
Sanya Malhotra: How many times have you watched Sanya Malhotra’s dance reels? Yes, the ‘Dangal’ and ‘Jawan’ star used to be a dance teacher at a school in Delhi. Now, it’s no longer a secret why she taught Aamir Khan to dance in the song ‘Sexy Baliye’ from the 2017 film ‘Secret Superstar’.
Utpal Dutt: Any ardent follower of Bengali cinema would remember the popular scene in ‘Saptapadi’, where Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen masterfully enacted the climax of ‘Othello’. What makes this moment even more remarkable is that the dubbing for Uttam Kumar’s character was done by the legendary actor Utpal Dutt. This particular scene stands as an iconic moment in Bengali cinema, vividly portraying the essence of Shakespearean tragedies. Notably, Dutt, who excelled both on and off the stage, wasn’t only a celebrated actor but also an English teacher at the renowned South Point School in Kolkata. Among his students, he left an indelible impression with his captivating tales of Shakespearean drama.
Bratya Basu: The West Bengal education minister always had a love for teaching. Right after graduating, he started teaching at Modern High School. After completing his master’s degree, he became an English teacher at Loreto Day School, Sealdah and later taught at RN Singh Memorial School.
Kaushik Ganguly: The National Award-winning director had a dual life as both a teacher and a filmmaker and he skillfully juggled these two passions for an extended period. Even during his teaching stints at institutions like St. James or St. Xavier’s in Kolkata, he dedicated time to writing scripts. For Ganguly, Ramakrishna has been his greatest teacher.
Churni Ganguly: She’s currently winning the hearts of audiences as the English-speaking mother of Alia Bhatt in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,’ but Churni has consistently been an exemplary student. Born to parents who were educators, Churni’s first job was also that of a teacher. She began her career as a teacher at Patha Bhavan and later continued her teaching journey at Mahadevi Birla Girls’ Higher Secondary School. In both schools, she taught English.
Sohini Sengupta: Despite her busy schedule in Bengali films, theater and web series, she remains dedicated to teaching English at Baranagar Rajkumari Memorial Girls’ High School in West Bengal. Additionally, she shares her expertise with actors at ‘Nandikar’, the renowned theater group in Kolkata.
