People who follow Bollywood usually know the films their favourite stars have appeared in and the parts they have played. What they often do not know is how those actors were educated before they entered the industry.
A college degree is not needed to build a career in films, and the people who succeed come from many different educational backgrounds. Some stopped studying after finishing school, while others completed professional courses, including engineering, before choosing acting. Here is a look at the education of some of Bollywood’s most familiar names.
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan, whose father was the noted poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, earned a reputation as a diligent student in his younger days. He received his early education in Nainital, continued his studies at Sherwood College, and later attended Kirori Mal College in Delhi.
In later years, several universities honoured him with honorary doctorates for his contribution to Indian cinema, among them the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan, widely known as the “King of Bollywood,” studied at St. Columba’s School in Delhi. He later joined Hansraj College at the University of Delhi and earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics. After that, he enrolled at Jamia Millia Islamia to study Mass Communication.
Acting soon took up more of his time, and he left the course before finishing it. In February 2016, almost 18 years after completing his studies, Hansraj College formally awarded him his graduation degree.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone finished school in Bengaluru before joining Mount Carmel College for her pre-university studies. She later enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts course. Her modelling and acting career, however, gathered pace quickly. She left college before completing the degree.
Salman Khan
Salman Khan began his schooling in Gwalior and later studied at St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai. Public records and media reports suggest that he did not continue to complete a college degree.
Kartik Aaryan
Kartik Aaryan went to St. Paul’s School in Gwalior before choosing engineering for college. His real ambition, however, was to become an actor. While he attended classes, he also travelled for auditions. He kept this from his family until much later. In the end, he completed a B.Tech in Biotechnology. Only then did he begin his career in the film industry.
Kriti Sanon
Kriti Sanon grew up and studied in Delhi before moving to a college in Noida. There, she completed a B.Tech degree in Engineering. Some media reports say she left her engineering course before graduation to pursue modelling. Those claims, however, have never been firmly confirmed.
Riteish Deshmukh
Riteish Deshmukh trained as an engineer before he entered films. He earned a degree in Architectural Engineering from Kamla Raheja College of Architecture in Mumbai. Some reports also say he worked in the field for a short time. He later left the profession and chose acting as a full-time career.
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor has often said that she left college before earning a degree. She studied at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and later spent two years studying Commerce at Mithibai College. She also took a short course in Microcomputers at Harvard University. In the end, she gave up her studies and turned her full attention to a career in films.
Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor took a different path from many actors in the industry. She did not continue her studies beyond school. Reports say she left her education at an early age to begin acting. She completed her studies only up to the 10th standard before joining Bollywood.
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra spent her school years in several cities because her father served in the Indian Army. She completed Class 12 at Army School in Bareilly. Soon after winning the Miss World crown in 2000, she chose a career in entertainment. Public reports say she did not go on to earn a college degree.
Conclusion
It is evident that education is not a prerequisite to success in Bollywood. These stars demonstrate that talent, perseverance and the bravery to pursue an alternative path are more important than a college degree. However, each of them made a distinct mark in the movie industry of India with their hard work and perseverance.
But of course, that’s not to say that dropping out of college is the only way to become a superstar, otherwise every college dropout would be waiting for a Filmfare Award. From books to films, these celebrities are a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, discipline and passion in building remarkable careers.
FAQs
1. Which Bollywood stars have engineering degrees?
Not all Bollywood stars were in college to learn movie dialogues. Kartik Aaryan finished his B.Tech in Biotechnology studied engineering and Riteish Deshmukh graduated with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
2. Did Shah Rukh Khan complete his college education?
Yes. Shah Rukh Khan graduated from Hansraj College, University of Delhi with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. He later went to Jamia Millia Islamia to study Mass Communication but dropped out before the course as he was more interested in acting.
3. Which Bollywood celebrities left college before completing their degrees?
There were some famous actors who followed the unconventional path. Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor dropped out of college to become stars and Shah Rukh Khan did not do his post-graduation.
