Engineers’ Day 2026: On National Engineering Day, we take a look at Bollywood personalities whose journeys began not on film sets, but in engineering classrooms. While an engineering degree often leads to careers in technology, research or corporate fields, these actors chose to follow their creative instincts and eventually built successful careers in the entertainment industry.
From completing rigorous engineering courses to making the difficult transition into acting, their journeys stand as an interesting reminder that education can shape an individual even when their eventual career takes them in an entirely different direction.
1) Kartik Aaryan
Kartik Aaryan’s journey from an engineering student to a Bollywood star is a testament to following one’s passion. He studied Biotechnology Engineering at D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Navi Mumbai, while nurturing his dream of becoming an actor. His determination led him to pursue auditions alongside his studies, eventually opening doors to the film industry and paving the way for a remarkable journey that has established him as one of Bollywood’s leading new-generation stars.
2) Vicky Kaushal
Vicky Kaushal studied Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Mumbai, before finding his true calling in acting. From theatre and assisting behind the scenes to becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most acclaimed performers, Kaushal carved his own path to industry.
3) Sushant Singh Rajput
Sushant Singh Rajput was studying Mechanical Engineering at Delhi College of Engineering when he decided to pursue his passion for performance. He moved from theatre and television to films, eventually delivering memorable performances in his career.
4) Kriti Sanon
Kriti Sanon has a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology. She stepped into modelling before making her acting debut with Heropanti and went on to establish herself as one of Bollywood’s leading actresses, balancing commercial success with performance-driven roles.
5) Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee Pannu studied Computer Science Engineering and even worked as a software engineer before entering the entertainment industry. She later built a reputation for choosing unconventional, challenging roles and emerged as one of Hindi cinema’s most distinctive performers
