The worlds of technology and entertainment are not as disparate as they may seem. Taking their careers to pivot, some individuals have made a slick transition from being tech-savvy professionals to captivating actors.
One notable example is that of techie-turned-actor Ashton Kutcher. Before his acting career took off, he worked as a biochemical engineer. However, Kutcher continued to remain deeply involved in the tech world as a successful venture capitalist and co-founder of investment firm Sound Ventures.
Here are a few Indians who have not only challenged career trajectories but also redefined the stereotypes associated with tech professionals.
Premgi Amaren
Prem Kumar Gangai Amaren is an Indian singer, composer, songwriter, actor, and comedian. His stage name, Premgi, was originally a spelling error, as it was intended to be ‘Prem G’, with the G representing Gangai.
Before entering the entertainment industry, this music director turned actor worked at HCL Technologies.
Santhanam
An actor and comedian, primarily active in Tamil cinema, started his professional journey working at Wipro before transitioning into acting. He initiated his career as a television comedian, gaining popularity through his well-received performances and box office success.
By the early 2010s, the film industry had quickly recognized him as the “Comedy Superstar”.
Rahul Ravindran
This artist is a multi-talented actor, director, and screenwriter, recognized primarily for his roles in Telugu films. Prior to his acting career, he worked at Infosys. In 2018, he made his directorial debut with the Telugu film Chi La Sow, for which he received the National Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Jitendra Kumar
Best known for his portrayal of Jeetu in TVF Pitchers, Jeetu Bhaiya in the series Kota Factory, and the much-loved Sachiv Ji in Amazon Prime’s series Panchayat, Kumar studied civil engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.
After completing his education, he worked briefly in a corporate job before pursuing a career in acting.
Nivin Pauly
Nivin Pauly is an actor and producer, primarily active in the Malayalam film industry. Prior to his acting career, he worked as a software engineer at Infosys in Bangalore, a position he secured through campus placements.
Nivin was employed from 2006 to 2008 before deciding to resign and pursue acting full-time. He has since received numerous accolades, including two Kerala State Film Awards, two Kerala Film Critics Association Awards, and many more.
Karthik Kumar
Karthik Kumar, an actor and stand-up comedian, had a stint at Google before venturing into acting. He has an impressive record of performing over 1000 shows across various countries including India, USA, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
In November 2016, Karthik expressed his frustration about being typecast in certain roles, leading him to announce his retirement from the film industry. However, he made a comeback with a role in the movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect in 2022.
Sumukhi Suresh
Sumukhi Suresh is an actor, stand-up comic, writer, and director. She worked at Mindtree before pursuing comedy and has been compared to Tina Fey by Hindustan Times. Sumukhi also launched a content platform called ‘Motormouth‘ for writers to pitch stories for movies and web shows.
R Madhavan
Prior to his successful career as an actor, writer, director, and producer, predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films, R Madhavan had a background in technology. He spent a brief period working as a software programmer in Canada before returning to India to pursue his acting career.
Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including one National Film Award and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, among others. Currently, he holds the position of the president at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune.
Siddharth
Siddharth is a well-known actor who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema. In addition to acting, he has also contributed to films as a screenwriter, producer, and playback singer.
Before entering the film industry, he began his career in the tech field, at IBM. However, he later decided to pursue acting. In 2014, he had a highly successful year, winning critical acclaim and achieving box office success.
