(From top): Dimple Kapadia with a Faraway Tree candle; Anuj Saxena on the job at Elder Pharmaceuticals; Padmini Kolhapure at her film’s muhurat; Neelam poses in some of her jewellery and Achint Kaur at her hairdressing salon

It?s a long way from silver screen to a hairdressing salon in Andheri. But that?s precisely the move actress Achint Kaur has made. Taking the adage, ?Don?t put all your eggs in one basket? seriously, the star of Saaya has cut back on TV projects to supervise her plush new hair-cutting venture. But she hasn?t left behind the entertainment scene entirely. She has called her salon Beyond the Fringe, the same name as the hugely successful British comedy show.

There are all sorts of reasons why people do more than one job. For some, it just happens, for others, it?s an obligation to help out in the family business while still doing something else. In Achint Kaur?s case, she figured it was the best way to secure her future just in case the acting gigs get scarce ? and she says, the good ones increasingly are. ?I?m very bored with what?s on TV right now. Of course, I?m from the glamour world and enjoy looking good, but the reason I took up this offer is that I had to look at the practical aspect. Acting isn?t going to last a lifetime,? she says. And while people may think actors aren?t natural number crunchers, Kaur proves them wrong. ?I handle the business aspect but I?m learning the other aspects too. Who knows what I do next!? The mind boggles. Cut hair maybe?

Achint Kaur isn?t the only person racing from one job in front of the camera to something entirely different. Look at Anuj Saxena who as Abhay Kapoor of Kkusum in reel life has to juggle his time between many wives, daughters and family businesses. In real life too the actor, has a tough act to follow. With 24X7 shooting schedules; upcoming film projects and a Rs 350 crore family business ? Anuj has a lot on his plate, in fact as he puts it, ?a bit too much on my plate?.

But he?s not the only one who has opted to look beyond the silver screen. More than ever, film stars, TV actors, models and celebrities are getting into different ventures. They?re mindful that their popularity may not be eternal and they should strike while the iron?s hot. In other words, diversify while their profiles are high and they can get the clients, so the money will keep coming in if gigs get scarce.

If King Khan Shah Rukh has his own production company ? Red Chillies Entertainment, then model-turned-actor Dino Morea owns a chain of eateries. Suniel Shetty, the original businessman-actor of the industry may have become a superstar. But a shrewd businessman, he also keeps a hawk eye on his hotel and garment business through his various aides while running around trees and bashing up the bad guys. His Mischief range of boutiques and eateries are famous landmarks in Mumbai and the actor recently launched a production company called Popcorn Entertainment. The company not only produces films but is also delving into film-related events like the recent Global Indian Film Awards in Dubai.

Dealing in very high stakes, it isn?t surprising that Shetty has his finger in many pies. But other actors too have started looking beyond the obvious film production and recording studio options. Raaz actor Dino has his Crepe Station chain run by elder brother Nicolo. The first outlet in Bandra is a success story and another branch in Worli is doing well and he?s looking at opening more branches soon.

Dino, who makes no bones about his love for ?making money? has done a number of odd jobs. ?Modelling too was a way of earning money,? he laughs. ?Money is very important. It secures one?s future and above all, it gives you a sense of identity. Crepe Station too was totally a monetary oriented decision. No one invests for charity, everyone?s looking for returns and thankfully, Crepe Station is doing very well.? Morea has other plans for the future when he gives up modelling and acting. ?In a few years, I plan to open a chain of hotels but that?s still in the conceptualisation stage,? adds the actor, who believes that business must be kept in the family.

Yesteryear actress Padmini Kolhapure too has a hankering to do different things. Post-marriage, the actress quit films and stayed away from every thing filmi. But a chance visit to London got the actress back in action but this time, as a teacher. ?I had gone to London to meet friends and someone there suggested that I should open an acting school. The idea stuck with me and that?s how The Padmini Kolhapure School of Acting was launched,? says the actress.

The school, which has branches in London and Delhi looks into the different aspects of acting like voice modulation, grooming and presentation. The four-year-old school recently launched its Mumbai chapter called Star Talaash Promotion School of Acting. The school also has a modelling class run in association with Talwalkars at Juhu.

Run by an actress, who knows her craft well, the school is doing very well. Kolhapure lectures students on various aspects of acting and holds regular workshops and seminars. Placements aren?t promised but she markets her students whenever possible. ?Since I?m from the industry, I try and guide the students. Teaching acting is just one aspect. There are other issues also that one needs to acknowledge like promoting talent, creating a data base for work and other such issues,? says the actress, who is trying her hand at theatre this time. At the same time, Kolhapure is also slated to return to the big screen with Eight and Souten, both directed by Karan Razdan.

Fellow actress Poonam Dhillon, too, has several business interests. But the one that caught the eye is her make-up van business. Introduced to the film industry by the actress herself, make-up vans were unheard off 15 years back. But Poonam saw the potential and imported, customised and sold them to industry bigwigs. While it?s not a product that flies off the shelves daily, she still provides three-to-four make-up vans yearly. Says the actress, ?I enjoy doing different things. I thought make-up vans would do well and so, I started work on it. Over the years, others too begun doing so. Either way, I have other ideas to implement. I just like doing different things and in the bargain if I get some money, then why not!?

For some, getting into business was a question of going back to the family business. Like actress Neelam Kothari, who joined her family jewellery business. The actress is today a well-known jewellery designer with her own range titled Neelam Jewels. ?I always knew I?d get into this line sooner or later. I have grown up with gems and stones around me so, no surprise that I am here designing jewellery,? she says.

If Neelam?s designing jewellery, Twinkle Khanna is designing homes. Post-marriage the actress gave films a slip. She now designs homes and decorates interiors but on select projects. She recently helped design J.W. Marriott?s night club Enigma. Twinkle also assists her mother Dimple with her candle-making business ? Faraway Tree ? which exports its products and supplies them to high-profile customers. Southern superstar Nagma too is changing gears and opening her own store called Nagma?s.

If Bollywood?s big names are venturing into different fields, can TV be far behind? In fact, several actors and actresses from the TV industry are dabbling in other businesses and fields. Anuj is the biggest example with the family-run pharmaceutical business.

With brands like AM PM and Tiger Balm, Elders Pharmaceutical is a 17-year-old listed company with an expected Rs 500 crore turnover. Says Anuj, ?Managing office and schedules is very difficult. It requires a tremendous amount of time management. In fact, I have cut down on acting assignments to be able to give more time to the business. It?s after all a commitment to my family and parents.?

The actor who is also is a doctor shuttles between office and studio on a daily basis. As an owner, he looks into every aspect of the business ? manufacturing, marketing and administrative. ?Of course, we have qualified professionals but as the owner, you land up unclogging the bathroom too,? he laughs.

Ronit Roy is different in one way. He got into business before becoming a familiar face onscreen. Roy has his very own security agency. Better known as Mihir Virani, the Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi star runs Ace Security and Protection. The company was started in what Roy calls his ?down and out days?. Now it provides security to almost any and everybody in the film industry. From crowd management, bodyguard services and VIP movement to set security ? you name it and his firm does it, supplying ?high-end? security solutions.

?We have everybody from Yash Chopra and Aamir Khan to Subash Ghai as our clients. We specialise in the security needs of the film industry,? says Roy. Although most of his work is done over the phone he does have to bail out of Kyunkii... shootings to do his weekly rounds and checks. Helping him at it is his wife, one-time actress Neelam.

The entertainment mediums? fleeting success rate and even shorter memory, compels many to diversify but some like Roy believe that it ?just makes sense to invest?. ?People working in banks and MNCs invest and so should we to secure the future. Investment is important and for me, diversification too is important. Starting this year, I plan to include some corporate clients in my portfolio,? he says.

The list of those who are diversifying goes on: actress Deepshika of Kittie Party fame recently launched a resto-lounge at Bandra called D?Nosh. Similarly Akashdeep Saigal of Kyunkii.. fame has his own post-production company.

Are these actors worried about what happened to the biggest name in their profession? After all, Amitabh Bachchan had to return to the screen to recoup his losses in business.

But that doesn?t seem to worry anyone. In property or in business, in production or in services ? actors, big or small, are all securing their future and cashing in on their popularity. Not to put too fine a point on it, Dhillon says, ?To maintain the lifestyle we?re used too, one need to invest.?

Photographs of Achint Kaur and Anuj Saxena by Gajanan Dudhalkar