The Student Room Group

Feeling so torn about my future...

Dear TSR,

Please help me find the strength to seek advice on an issue which, I feel, is going to determine the rest of my life and future happiness.

I’m currently a 1st year medical student, and loving the course so far. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, and I can imagine myself being perfectly happy working in a hospital part of me also wants to become a surgeon. Working with people was one of the reasons I chose Medicine, and I would not be happy in any profession without people in the job description. However, there are times when I doubt that I would be happy doing this long-term, as I’m a person who is quite compulsive and I find that I have several different sides to my personality which I would like to satisfy. I’ve always had big ambitions, but my ultimate dream is something which I don’t know how to go about achieving I want to become a Bollywood actor.

I’ve always had a deep emotional connection with Bollywood movies and songs. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m completely obsessed with it I get through hundreds of Bollywood movies, learn the song lyrics and actors’ lines very easily, go to lots of Bollywood parties/performances and am always watching Bollywood TV channels. More importantly though, I associate Bollywood songs with significant events in my life and every emotion I’ve ever felt: love, anger, sadness, elation, excitement, terror - you name it. I can’t escape the fact that Bollywood movies are so close to me: I can name several that have been made within a few miles of my location at that time, in cities throughout the UK. With movies being made up and down the country in areas where I spend a lot of my time, I can’t escape the fact that Bollywood is a part of me. In the dream world, being a Bollywood actor would be the perfect life for me: something I am good at (I have lots of experience in Bollywood performance) and I love. Not to mention fame, adulation and a comfortable lifestyle possibly more than I might achieve as a doctor.

However, the reality of achieving my ambition is a different story. It would involve me abandoning a stable, well-paid and prestigious career in Medicine for something that has no guarantees, is very competitive and incredibly difficult to sustain. It would also involve me moving to a country I’ve never been to before, learning Hindi fluently (I can already speak and understand Urdu/Hindi quite well, but reading/writing is what I will have to practice) and facing rejection along the way. Plus the fact that my family (particularly parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles) will want me to stay being a doctor and to take care of them as they get older they want to keep the pride factor as I’m the first person in my family to do Medicine. I don’t know how I will tell them that I want to go to Bollywood, and I expect they won’t take it too well because they see Bollywood as just some occasional enjoyment. But for me Bollywood is more than that: it’s my obsession, my eternal craze and my addiction. From the bottom of my heart, I have never loved the idea of anything more than Bollywood. Sometimes I don’t think it’s worth trying to go the distance, but every time I see actors on the TV or cinema (in so many different avatars), I aspire to be just like them. These multiple aspects of my personality, and my compulsion to satisfy all the different sides of me, are what make me want to achieve my ambition. Compared to some UK-born actors/actresses (a few of whom speak little/no Hindi), who are currently getting great roles and working with respected film crews in Bollywood, I’m already at an advantage as my family speak Urdu fluently making it slightly easier for me to learn Urdu/Hindi to use in the industry. Not only that, but I feel that Bollywood is the path I want to go down and that the industry is speaking out to me.

At the same time as I used to travel regularly between London King’s Cross and Scotland, Bollywood films were made both at King’s Cross and near my destination in Scotland. At the same time I received my offer for Medicine, a Bollywood film was being made in 3 places consecutively: near my home, my new university and my family’s homes, and I believe these events have a lot of significance. I don’t think these were just coincidental occurrences see other examples below. I also have a friend connection with an actress who speaks no Hindi at all (she is from an English family) and has now made her debut as the leading lady in a Bollywood film with a highly successful director, producer, lead actor and music composer. So if she can get there, why can’t I?

The younger I am, the more successful I would be in Bollywood therefore my initial plan is to complete my medical degree. I would never choose to drop out as Medicine is so important to me. Following this, I will complete 2 years of Foundation training to become an officially registered doctor. Then I have 2 options:

1) Travel to Pakistan and work there to learn Urdu fluently. After a few years, travel to Mumbai, work as a doctor initially and gradually branch into finding some Bollywood work. This would be difficult though as I’m not sure what the Indian government’s attitude is to people entering their country from Pakistan.
2) Travel straight to Mumbai after my Foundation training, learn Hindi while I work there and eventually find some Bollywood work. This skips out Pakistan (and probably means I’m more likely to get to India) but Urdu is also important for me to learn.

The trouble is, I don’t have a clue whether any of this will work or not. I’m already facing so many setbacks with my Bollywood ambition and compared to this, my career in Medicine is easy. If I go for it and somehow get into Bollywood eventually, my worry is that I won’t last very long and I will have given up a perfect career in Medicine for 15 minutes of fame. But every time I see a Bollywood movie, I think to myself that this is wholeheartedly what I want to do, and how all my friends would support me because they know how mad I am about Bollywood. My only problem is letting my family know that I might disappoint them by choosing something other than Medicine.

So my question is: should I go for it? I’m thinking about my future and obviously not everything will go as I plan, but I’m so torn between the two careers trying to weigh up the benefits and disadvantages of each. I don’t want to sound pompous but doctors in the NHS are inundated with paperwork more than they get to see patients, and they don’t get anywhere near as much respect as they deserve, compared to Bollywood actors who are adored all over the world. I feel I have the ability to go the distance, but should I build up the courage to take the first step by telling friends and family that this is what I want to do, or just let it go? I have to choose whether to help and take care of people, or entertain people.

TSR: I am not trolling. This is genuinely how I feel, and I need some advice on the matter from others who are willing to listen. Thank you very much for your help. I appreciate the time you’ve taken to read through this.

PS. Here is a list of some of the films that have been made near my location at that exact time, in places where I regularly go and/or during significant events in my life. If I think of more, I will add them:

-Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (Green Lanes)
-Desi Boyz (Wood Green, UCL)
-London Dreams (Trafalgar Square)
-Salaam-E-Ishq (Trafalgar Square, Hungerford Bridge)
-Chocolate (Regent Street)
-Patiala House (Southall)
-Ek Tha Tiger (Dublin)
-Kal Kissne Dekha (Trafalgar Square)
-Speed (Trafalgar Square)
-Ra. One (Central London)
-Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (London)
-Love Aaj Kal (Central London, Stansted, Covent Garden)
-Namastey London (Central London)
-Veer (Central London)
-Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (Southall)
-DDLJ (King’s Cross)
-Yaadein (Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square)
-Singh Is Kinng (Luxor, Egypt)
-Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Scotland)
-Mausam (Edinburgh)
-Teri Meri Kahani (London, Coventry and Leeds)

Note: All the above films made in Trafalgar Square, Wood Green, Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus were made while I was at school/college, within 10 miles of these locations.
(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1
I wanted to be an actress for ages - I had it all set out, I made my UCAS application and everything, plenty of experience, people (including someone famous) has told me I can do it - but that's not what I want to do anymore. I want to be a midwife - it's something I can't explain, but it's so much stronger than my desire to act. I still want to do acting as a hobby - but you can't do midwifery as a hobby, and that's something I had to take into consideration. Midwifery is a vocation - acting is so hit and miss, you can spend months if not years with no luck, no matter how much talent you have - it's more about who you know and how lucky you are, than how talented you are.

At the end of the day, you can do acting as a hobby - I'm sure that there will be a social group for Bollywood enthusiasts where you can meet likeminded people, possibly make small-scale independent Bollywood films if you can work it around your work schedule - you can't do something like medicine in your spare time. If you give that up, you're giving up a stable, good career for something that you might never succeed in.
Reply 3
Finish your medical degree, then try to get into acting and then if that fails you can always go back and be a doctor.
Reply 4
Original post by madders94
I wanted to be an actress for ages - I had it all set out, I made my UCAS application and everything, plenty of experience, people (including someone famous) has told me I can do it - but that's not what I want to do anymore. I want to be a midwife - it's something I can't explain, but it's so much stronger than my desire to act. I still want to do acting as a hobby - but you can't do midwifery as a hobby, and that's something I had to take into consideration. Midwifery is a vocation - acting is so hit and miss, you can spend months if not years with no luck, no matter how much talent you have - it's more about who you know and how lucky you are, than how talented you are.

At the end of the day, you can do acting as a hobby - I'm sure that there will be a social group for Bollywood enthusiasts where you can meet likeminded people, possibly make small-scale independent Bollywood films if you can work it around your work schedule - you can't do something like medicine in your spare time. If you give that up, you're giving up a stable, good career for something that you might never succeed in.



Thank you for your advice. You've put all my exact thoughts into better words, so I'm grateful to have your input. :smile:

I know it's going to be a long hard struggle to get into acting, and that I'd be really foolish to throw away such an amazing opportunity and prestigious career in Medicine. But my heart says that Bollywood is what I really want, and I'd be a lot less happy if I didn't at least try to make an impact there. At the very earliest I can be in India at age 26, which is old enough as it is by Bollywood standards. My chances of becoming successful there will slowly decrease as I get older, so my logic is that I go there as soon as possible and if it doesn't work out, I still have Medicine to return to. I know I can never practice Medicine as a hobby, but I feel that Bollywood rules my heart - and I want to follow my heart. My head tells me to stay in Medicine and forget becoming an actor because it's so difficult, but my heart tells me to achieve my dream. I've already achieved one dream by getting into Medicine (and eventually I'll fulfill another one by becoming a doctor) - but my Bollywood dream will never go away until I do something about it. Like I said above, I want to work with people - so I guess there's nothing to stop me entertaining people AND taking care of people, although the latter (as an actor) I wouldn't be able to do as much as if I were a full-time doctor.

My reasoning is that I want to experience the best of both sides of the coin: a prestigious career in an academic/vocational subject (i.e. Medicine) and success in a worldwide industry. I appreciate your suggestion of Bollywood social groups - I'm already juggling 3 Bollywood societies at my university. However, everyone else who performs with me in Bollywood shows (many of them medics and dentists) seem to be able to cope with having it as just some occasional fun. But I don't think I can treat Bollywood as just a hobby because my obsession is too great. I'd love to become a part of movies professionally, and when I'm feeling high, low or anywhere in between, that's always my ultimate dream - a level above Medicine is how I see it.
Reply 5
Original post by lucas13
Finish your medical degree, then try to get into acting and then if that fails you can always go back and be a doctor.



That's always been my logic about how to go about doing it. But it's just the fact that not one person in the world has become successful in Bollywood from a background like mine. It's never been done before as it's such a radical change, which makes me shy away from even trying. Sometimes it's all I can think about though: certainly whenever I watch Bollywood movies (which is very often), I can only think about being there, watched on screen by millions of people.

Sometimes I envy my medical and dental student friends who don't have as much obsession about anything as much as I do with Bollywood. They can keep their lives in check, have something solid to aim for and just focus on that. I've never been so torn about anything in my life and, as it's such a huge decision, it's going to take a lot of thought.

Thank you for your advice. :smile:
Cool story bro

Just become a doctor. Though if your obsession is anything like as bad as you describe, you probably need to see one. Bollywood is an ideal, but how do you even know you would enjoy the lifestyle once you were there? You already know you love studying and practicing medicine.
Reply 7
Original post by asif007
Thank you for your advice. You've put all my exact thoughts into better words, so I'm grateful to have your input. :smile:

I know it's going to be a long hard struggle to get into acting, and that I'd be really foolish to throw away such an amazing opportunity and prestigious career in Medicine. But my heart says that Bollywood is what I really want, and I'd be a lot less happy if I didn't at least try to make an impact there. At the very earliest I can be in India at age 26, which is old enough as it is by Bollywood standards. My chances of becoming successful there will slowly decrease as I get older, so my logic is that I go there as soon as possible and if it doesn't work out, I still have Medicine to return to. I know I can never practice Medicine as a hobby, but I feel that Bollywood rules my heart - and I want to follow my heart. My head tells me to stay in Medicine and forget becoming an actor because it's so difficult, but my heart tells me to achieve my dream. I've already achieved one dream by getting into Medicine (and eventually I'll fulfill another one by becoming a doctor) - but my Bollywood dream will never go away until I do something about it. Like I said above, I want to work with people - so I guess there's nothing to stop me entertaining people AND taking care of people, although the latter (as an actor) I wouldn't be able to do as much as if I were a full-time doctor.

My reasoning is that I want to experience the best of both sides of the coin: a prestigious career in an academic/vocational subject (i.e. Medicine) and success in a worldwide industry. I appreciate your suggestion of Bollywood social groups - I'm already juggling 3 Bollywood societies at my university. However, everyone else who performs with me in Bollywood shows (many of them medics and dentists) seem to be able to cope with having it as just some occasional fun. But I don't think I can treat Bollywood as just a hobby because my obsession is too great. I'd love to become a part of movies professionally, and when I'm feeling high, low or anywhere in between, that's always my ultimate dream - a level above Medicine is how I see it.


In that case, I'd suggest completing your medicine training - don't give up on it, or you may not have a career to fall back on if the acting doesn't work out or when you've done a few films and decided that you want to go back to medicine. Once you've got that training, give it a shot! Yes, it's difficult to break into the acting business, but not impossible, and there's no reason why you can't :smile: then, if you find that it's too difficult to get work, or you get bored of it or aren't enjoying it as much as you thought you would, you have a medical career to fall back on.

And as for no-one with a background like yours becoming successful in Bollywood - there is a first time for everything, and who's to say that you won't become the first?

Don't let it interfere with the studies - keep going to the Bollywood groups, and when your studies get tough, just think about it and tell yourself that in however many years, you've got Bollywood to look forwards to :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by asif007
That's always been my logic about how to go about doing it. But it's just the fact that not one person in the world has become successful in Bollywood from a background like mine. It's never been done before as it's such a radical change, which makes me shy away from even trying. Sometimes it's all I can think about though: certainly whenever I watch Bollywood movies (which is very often), I can only think about being there, watched on screen by millions of people.

Sometimes I envy my medical and dental student friends who don't have as much obsession about anything as much as I do with Bollywood. They can keep their lives in check, have something solid to aim for and just focus on that. I've never been so torn about anything in my life and, as it's such a huge decision, it's going to take a lot of thought.

Thank you for your advice. :smile:


what background do you mean
Original post by asif007
But it's just the fact that not one person in the world has become successful in Bollywood from a background like mine. It's never been done before as it's such a radical change, which makes me shy away from even trying.



Just because it hasn't been done before, doesn't mean you can't. :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Aequat omnes cinis
Cool story bro

Just become a doctor. Though if your obsession is anything like as bad as you describe, you probably need to see one. Bollywood is an ideal, but how do you even know you would enjoy the lifestyle once you were there? You already know you love studying and practicing medicine.


Thank you for your reply. :smile:

True, I don't know much about the lifestyle of an actor. But at this point in time, based on all the signs that I've had about Bollywood throughout my life, I don't see how I could fail to enjoy something I love as much as Bollywood, which has been growing in me since a young age.

I do know that I would love to practice Medicine in the future and become a caring, thoughtful, passionate doctor - but also that I want to become an entertainer. Even in Medicine, where healthcare settings are usually very reserved and formal, I've been finding ways to bring laughter and fun to different situations because of my inclination towards acting. As I said above, I want to experience both professions - I wouldn't be happy just doing one or the other. I appreciate your concern about my obsession, but I think it's a healthy obsession - I'm not so crazed about Bollywood to the point that I could hurt myself or others. I'm just aiming very high and planning how to go about achieving my ultimate dream. :smile:
Reply 11
Original post by lucas13
what background do you mean



I mean that no-one has ever entered Bollywood from a scientific and/or academic background like mine, let alone anyone from Medicine. To me, the actors and actresses who are successful in Bollywood are the ones who have been groomed into a life of acting from an early age (e.g. through family/friends/contacts in the industry) or who have entered through modelling, which is difficult enough to get into. I'm past the age now where I could get in through modelling, and I would never choose to drop out of Medicine because it's so important to me. My concern is how my journey to Bollywood will start after I finish my degree and Foundation training, and whether it is a feasible path to take to success.
Reply 12
Original post by madders94
In that case, I'd suggest completing your medicine training - don't give up on it, or you may not have a career to fall back on if the acting doesn't work out or when you've done a few films and decided that you want to go back to medicine. Once you've got that training, give it a shot! Yes, it's difficult to break into the acting business, but not impossible, and there's no reason why you can't :smile: then, if you find that it's too difficult to get work, or you get bored of it or aren't enjoying it as much as you thought you would, you have a medical career to fall back on.

And as for no-one with a background like yours becoming successful in Bollywood - there is a first time for everything, and who's to say that you won't become the first?

Don't let it interfere with the studies - keep going to the Bollywood groups, and when your studies get tough, just think about it and tell yourself that in however many years, you've got Bollywood to look forwards to :smile:


Original post by treasureBelle
Just because it hasn't been done before, doesn't mean you can't. :smile:



Thank you both for your encouraging words. :smile:

I think, over the next few years, it will take time to convince my family that this is the route I want to take. I know it will disappoint them that I don't want to do Medicine for the rest of my life, but I know that they're proud of me already for getting into Medicine considering the background I'm from. So I don't think there's any reason why they would not be proud for me to follow my heart and do something that's never been done before in our family. Then again, some of my family members are very unpredictable and have made life difficult for me and my mum - so I could run into some confrontations along the way. But I'm not afraid of that - if you read some of my posts in other sections on TSR, you'll see that my mum had to fight her own family to get to her level of success, and I look up to that. I can't have anyone holding me back - I've got plenty of opportunities laid out in front of me and I want to seize them.

First and foremost, I am concentrating completely on my Medicine degree as I've put in a lot of effort to get here and I would hate to lose that. I do love the work we do as medical students and future doctors, but I want to become a professional in other things that I love too - and the only thing I love as much as Medicine is Bollywood. Not only that, but my journey to India and films would be so much harder if I had no qualifications to fall back on. As far as I know, UK graduates have good employment prospects in India and Pakistan so I will be able to make a good living as a doctor while at the same time following my dreams of entering Bollywood. If I have as much confidence as you guys have shown me, I will get there, Insha Allah. :smile:
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by asif007
Thank you both for your encouraging words. :smile:

I think, over the next few years, it will take time to convince my family that this is the route I want to take. I know it will disappoint them that I don't want to do Medicine for the rest of my life, but I know that they're proud of me already for getting into Medicine considering the background I'm from. So I don't think there's any reason why they would not be proud for me to follow my heart and do something that's never been done before in our family. Then again, some of my family members are very unpredictable and have made life difficult for me and my mum - so I could run into some confrontations along the way. But I'm not afraid of that - if you read some of my posts in other sections on TSR, you'll see that my mum had to fight her own family to get to her level of success, and I look up to that. I can't have anyone holding me back - I've got plenty of opportunities laid out in front of me and I want to seize them.

First and foremost, I am concentrating completely on my Medicine degree as I've put in a lot of effort to get here and I would hate to lose that. I do love the work we do as medical students and future doctors, but I want to become a professional in other things that I love too - and the only thing I love as much as Medicine is Bollywood. Not only that, but my journey to India and films would be so much harder if I had no qualifications to fall back on. As far as I know, UK graduates have good employment prospects in India and Pakistan so I will be able to make a good living as a doctor while at the same time following my dreams of entering Bollywood. If I have as much confidence as you guys have shown me, I will get there, Insha Allah. :smile:


I really hope you manage to achieve your dream :smile: best of luck. And if anyone in your family holds you back, they aren't worth your time - your real family are the ones who care about you, and who will be happy for you as long as you are happy :smile:
Reply 14
Original post by madders94
I really hope you manage to achieve your dream :smile: best of luck. And if anyone in your family holds you back, they aren't worth your time - your real family are the ones who care about you, and who will be happy for you as long as you are happy :smile:


Thank you for your kind advice. I agree, real family members are the ones who would respect my decision and support me along the way. I don't think it's unreasonable to have this desire to go to Bollywood, but the fact that I will have to challenge my family's perception of what is a respectable, prestigious career is what puts me off. Especially as I'm under a lot of scrutiny, being the first in my generation to go to university and the first in my family to do Medicine - my family expect me to work hard, and I just don't know if they will see Bollywood as a hard-working profession.

This is the first time I've told anyone about my dream, although I've hinted to friends a few times that I'd love to go to Bollywood, and they've all been really supportive. At some point in the next few years, I will have to tell my family that I want to go down a different route than the one they've laid out for me - i.e. they expect me to qualify and work as a doctor for the rest of my life, get married, buy a house/car etc. That's a perfectly reasonable expectation of me given how I've been brought up, but it's just worrying that I'll be breaking tradition. It could either go really well or horribly wrong - so I'll just have to keep gauging their reactions to Bollywood professionals in the future, and find the courage to start the journey to India.

Thank you for your help everyone. I welcome any other suggestions or comments - your advice is highly appreciated. :smile:
Reply 15
Thank you for your advice everyone. I've been having some more thoughts about my ambition to become a Bollywood star.

I'm still in 2 minds about whether to follow this path after my degree in Medicine, because I haven't got any indications of whether or not I would be successful. Bollywood is something I will always love, and it's rooted in my personality - I've had many people (both friends and family) say that they don't know anyone who loves Bollywood as much as I do. Personally, I think I have the ability to get there - but what's bothering me now is the fact that various things have been pointing me back to Medicine. I don't know whether or not to ignore these and follow my dream.

Many of you may have heard of a programme currently on TV called Junior Doctors - Your Life In Their Hands. One of the doctors on this programme makes no secret of the fact that she turned down a career in Bollywood to study Medicine - which makes me think I should be doing the same. At the other end of the scale, Priyanka Chopra (a famous Bollywood actress) comes from a family of doctors and broke with tradition to become a star. It seems to me that Medicine and acting are polar opposites to each other, and I don't know which one to choose. Like I said above, it's a big decision that will take time to make but at the moment I'm looking for signs that Bollywood could be the path I take later in life.

My career in Medicine is pretty much laid out in front of me - all I have to do is work hard to achieve highly at every hurdle. But even though Bollywood is my obsession, I think sometimes that my work might not be appreciated as much as I would like. I imagine it's pretty hard to sustain an acting career, finding jobs every few months - so I would be giving up the comfort and job security in Medicine for something that I might not succeed in.

I don't know... I suppose I'll just have to keep thinking it through, going through all the highs and lows until I reach a concrete decision. However, do you think my plan of working as a doctor in India and then branching into movies is a good idea? Would it work? :s-smilie:
Reply 16
Original post by asif007
Thank you for your advice everyone. I've been having some more thoughts about my ambition to become a Bollywood star.

I'm still in 2 minds about whether to follow this path after my degree in Medicine, because I haven't got any indications of whether or not I would be successful. Bollywood is something I will always love, and it's rooted in my personality - I've had many people (both friends and family) say that they don't know anyone who loves Bollywood as much as I do. Personally, I think I have the ability to get there - but what's bothering me now is the fact that various things have been pointing me back to Medicine. I don't know whether or not to ignore these and follow my dream.

Many of you may have heard of a programme currently on TV called Junior Doctors - Your Life In Their Hands. One of the doctors on this programme makes no secret of the fact that she turned down a career in Bollywood to study Medicine - which makes me think I should be doing the same. At the other end of the scale, Priyanka Chopra (a famous Bollywood actress) comes from a family of doctors and broke with tradition to become a star. It seems to me that Medicine and acting are polar opposites to each other, and I don't know which one to choose. Like I said above, it's a big decision that will take time to make but at the moment I'm looking for signs that Bollywood could be the path I take later in life.

My career in Medicine is pretty much laid out in front of me - all I have to do is work hard to achieve highly at every hurdle. But even though Bollywood is my obsession, I think sometimes that my work might not be appreciated as much as I would like. I imagine it's pretty hard to sustain an acting career, finding jobs every few months - so I would be giving up the comfort and job security in Medicine for something that I might not succeed in.

I don't know... I suppose I'll just have to keep thinking it through, going through all the highs and lows until I reach a concrete decision. However, do you think my plan of working as a doctor in India and then branching into movies is a good idea? Would it work? :s-smilie:


Hi:smile:
Like you, I also aspire to become a doctor only I'm still in sixth form - medicine is ridiculously competitive evident by the amount of people that are rejected. I think you must have worked really hard to get to the stage your at now in your academic life and you obviously really enjoy both medicine and bollywood. If you love your job then you'll never have to work a day in your life, this seems like how you feel about bollywod. Personally, I think that if your determined enough then it should be possible. Many countries prefer UK graduates to their own, like Dubai and I imagine possibly India may be like this. As a qualified doctor I don't see why you wouldn't get work there at the same time as trying to make your dream happen. And if you gave it your best shot and it doesn't work out your insurance is being a doctor - which I think is the best job in the whole world. Don't worry too much about it, it's good to think about your future but your in the process of becoming a doctor. I agree with you about how great it would be to get the best of both worlds but you can only know if that's feasible after you try.
Reply 17
Aww asif my bollywood buddy :frown:
I can understand your passion for wanting to go into it. You should finish your degree then take any big steps, so that if you fail you have something to fall back on to.

orr you could do a short cut like sunny leone :P
hahaha jkkkkk
Reply 18
asif do you look like SRK? loll
Reply 19
Original post by Maple
Hi:smile:
Like you, I also aspire to become a doctor only I'm still in sixth form - medicine is ridiculously competitive evident by the amount of people that are rejected. I think you must have worked really hard to get to the stage your at now in your academic life and you obviously really enjoy both medicine and bollywood. If you love your job then you'll never have to work a day in your life, this seems like how you feel about bollywod. Personally, I think that if your determined enough then it should be possible. Many countries prefer UK graduates to their own, like Dubai and I imagine possibly India may be like this. As a qualified doctor I don't see why you wouldn't get work there at the same time as trying to make your dream happen. And if you gave it your best shot and it doesn't work out your insurance is being a doctor - which I think is the best job in the whole world. Don't worry too much about it, it's good to think about your future but your in the process of becoming a doctor. I agree with you about how great it would be to get the best of both worlds but you can only know if that's feasible after you try.


Thank you for your reply. Bollywood is definitely something I love as much as Medicine, and lots of my medical student friends have pointed out that they don't understand how I can have such a huge obsession with it. I suppose it's because I've been brought up with Bollywood as just casual entertainment since childhood, but my craze has just been growing for years, beyond what anyone else feels IMO. I've been feeling for ages that I want to take it to the next level and make something of myself out there.

However, one of my concerns is how I would make the transition from doctor to actor whilst in India. Becoming a doctor is realistic enough while I'm studying for my medical degree - upon qualification I can apply for a job out there and go as soon as possible. But once I'm there, I don't know if doctors are seen as being rounded individuals as much as they are in the UK. To get into Medicine here, there was a lot of emphasis on medical students being good at lots of different activities and leading busy lives full of balancing all these different things. But in India, I'm worried that if I approach a filmmaker/producer/whatever and say that I'm a doctor, I might be rejected - because doctors over there are seen as intelligent academics and not so much the performing type.

Maybe I'm just worrying too much about it. Like you said, I won't experience the best of both worlds until I actually make it happen. I suppose I've got to keep the mindset that I'm in control of my future, and I want to make this transition. Thank you for showing confidence in me, much appreciated. :smile:
(edited 12 years ago)

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