It's ironical that the National Award winning lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya, who penned the chartbuster number -- Pungi bajake from a forthcoming action thriller, came to Mumbai to become a singer. The man ended up penning lyics.
Amitabh who strongly believes in John Lennon's quote -- Life happens when we are busy making other plans, says, "Yes I had dreamt of becoming a singer but now when I look back, I have no regrets. To get so much love, recognition for something I never thought I had in me is euphoric. Moreover, my career as a lyricist has also helped me in my singing. It is sone pe suhaga. "
Does he crave to be recognised as a singer too? "Of course. I have turned writer only five years ago but singing is my childhood dream and I know I am good at it," says the voice behind songs like Emotional Atyachaar (Dev D) and Ik Tara (Wake Up Sid).
Bhattacharya, who is singing a song in musician Amit Trivedi's next, is quite hopeful about realising his singing dreams too as the journey has just begun for the 35-year-old lyricist.
Surprises galore
The industry is full of such examples. There are lots of successful directors like Subhash Ghai, Anurag Kashyap, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kunal Kohli and Ashutosh Gowarikar who originally wanted to be actors but eventually turned directors.
Ashutosh is the only director of the lot who also did marginally well as an actor. Directors like David Dhawan, Raju Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali studied editing in FTII.
Word has been that even Imtiaz Ali had acting dreams but when asked, he immediately clears the air saying, "I never wanted to be an actor. I acted in plays in Delhi for eight years before coming to Mumbai but I realised I enjoyed direction more. I have always been getting acting offers and I knew that it was easier for me to become an actor than a director but I never wanted to."
Showman Subhash Ghai came to the city with acting aspirations and ended up becoming a successful filmaker. Ironically, the man who studied acting at the Film and Television Institute Of India was also the winner of a talent hunt show along with Rajesh Khanna, could not realise his acting dreams.
Ghai says, "Though I came here to become an actor, I realised that acting in films is not my cup of tea. And I discovered that I enjoy writing and directing more. I have written all of my 18 films."
It's all in the stars
Dinesh Raheja, editor of a Bollywood news agency, who found his calling in writing, says, "It's said that if you follow your heart's calling, you become successful but this industry is enigmatic.
Even though you are not following your dreams, you may become successful. We would have missed out on such a good singer like Mukesh, if he pursued acting and director like Guru Dutt if he became a choreographer.
I am so happy that Salim became a writer and not an actor because he was very nervous as an actor." He adds, "Sometimes what we feel is our calling in life is actually not. Often we discover this by accident or chance. At the end of it, all of us want to be successful."
Others who found fame elsewhere
The actor-director, Guru Dutt wanted to become a choreographer
Singer Mukesh wanted to be an actor
Salim of the writer duo Salim-Javed wanted to be an actor.
Lyricists like Anand Bakshi and Ashish Pandit (Dhinka chika) wanted to become music composers.
