Acting is a very unpredictable profession. While you might succeed exponentially one day, the very next day you might see the abyss of failures. Amidst this contrasting lifestyle, should actors have an alternate profession as a backup? Should actors have an option to fall back on when they see dark days in their acting careers?
Here’s what some of the popular TV actors have to say about this dichotomy:
Nyrraa M Banerji
To have an alternate career or not is a personal choice. In the TV industry, work may not be constant for everyone. Financial stability is surely important. As of now I'm totally focused on acting and acting is like oxygen to me.
Mrunal Jain
Yes, one should have an alternate career. It's always good to multitask. The entertainment industry is disorganised with films flopping and TV shows going off the air abruptly. The stability is uncertain. An empty mind is the devil's mind. One should constantly work and follow one's heart.
Amal Sehrawat
I always wanted to be an actor and I'm an actor by choice. If I'm focused on acting. Doing a daily soap is a lot of commitment. An alternate profession is a good idea. If your physical presence is not needed much, it's all about goals and time management and financial stability are surely a need.
Manish Naggdev
An alternate career is a must. The entertainment industry is an unpredictable and disorganised sector. There's a lot of competition. There's always a substitute available. Financial stability is important. So, if you have a fall-back option, you can multitask and also be choosy about the kind of work which you take up.
Jay Zaveri
An actor’s job is one of the toughest jobs because one needs to be very patient and has to have the mental stability to do this job because sometimes an actor can become famous overnight and sometimes it takes years to achieve success. It’s vital for an actor to have an alternate profession. The only reason that an actor should have an alternate profession is if he is not able to sustain financial stability in his life. Everyone needs money and if you are not famous and successful there is a shortage of money and to cover up that and handle the day-to-day lifestyle you need money. So, in today’s world, you need an alternate profession not only in acting but in any profession. You need to have multiple sources of income.
Angad Hasija
It’s not only about acting but if you are in any profession, you should have a plan B. I feel for an actor it’s really important to have an alternate plan because after doing a show if you have a gap, you can be busy with your alternate thing. In the television industry, we all have the habit of being busy and when we get breaks, we travel around but that can lead to boredom after some time. Also, if you have an alternate work, you can choose your shows and characters accordingly but if you don’t have any other options you have to take up the show or work no matter what. It’s important to have an alternate profession as it gives you confidence.
Ashoka Thackur
I feel if you are in the acting line then you should focus on that job only because if you are thinking about two things then your mind gets diverted. One should have a motive fixed because then only one gets successfully. An actor can do many things and can survive with their art. People are doing theatre and are earning well and running their houses. Having an alternate profession can lead to confusion. One should choose one thing and give their 100 per cent to it.
Ssudeep Sahir
I think it’s important for anyone in the creative field to have an alternate profession or should definitely make some sound investments. That way you can choose what projects you want to do and you don’t have to do anything and everything that comes your way. Yes, handling business and television becomes challenging and taxing at times but it’s worth it.
Charrul Malik
Yes, every actor should have an alternate profession because this line is very uncertain and in order to be confident and secure one should always secure his or her future. As we all know that all actors work on a per-day basis. So, sometimes there is work, and sometimes there is not. One’s confidence shouldn’t be lost because acting is all about being confident and being the best. This confidence comes when we are financially strong and not dependent on anybody. So, I think every actor should have a side profession.
