Chandan recalls how teaching funded his acting journey

Chandan Roy Sanyal’s career, before he became an actor, was an unusual one — he was a teacher. Looking back, the actor on Teacher’s Day, credits that profession to shaping who he is today. “I took to teaching in Delhi and the memories of it make me smile even today. The things you learn as a teacher from your students are priceless. You witness firsthand, your students’ curiosity and their readiness to question everything,” he shares.

So where did he teach and what were his subjects during his tenure as a teacher?

He tells us, “I taught school kids all the subjects. Teaching in college was my first occupation in the city of dreams. I taught Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology at a college in Malad (in Mumbai).”

As a student, too, the actor says he always admired teachers for their commitment to their jobs. “I was the kind of student who looked at teachers as my parents in school. As life progresses, our friends, our colleagues, children and situation assume the role of a teacher,” the 41-year-old explains.

Sanyal made his debut in the Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra film Rang De Basanti (2006). But his big break came with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Kaminey in 2009. Talking about the transition from teaching to acting, he says, “Before I dived into acting, I needed money to travel to Mumbai. I started tutoring school kids in Delhi and their fee funded my trip to Mumbai.”

So, would he ever go back to teaching, even if it is as an acting coach? Sanyal says he does not see that happening anytime soon.

“I would love to share my experience with the aspirants. Nothing would give me a sense of purpose as much as letting them know what they can expect from a career in acting and how they can navigate the industry. It is a huge responsibility and when the time is right I would love to don that hat as well,” he concludes.

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