When Sushant Singh Rajput quit his dreams for Bollywood, rejected Stanford University scholarship, became SRK fan, then died tragically: ‘I wanted to…’

Today marks five years since the untimely death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput who was not only a talented actor but also brilliant in academics. He studied at the well-known Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University).

However, he decided to leave the course before completing his engineering degree, following his passion for acting instead. Sushant had shared in many interviews that he chose to leave college to become an actor. In a 2017 conversation with Hindustan Times, the Dil Bechara star spoke about how his family responded to this big decision that changed the course of his life.

Sushant shared that in 2006, during his final year of college, he told his family about his decision to quit engineering and become an actor. His family was so stunned that they didn’t say a word, and he took their silence as agreement. Though it was tough at the time, things changed later. Sushant said his father now feels proud when people mention him during his walks, though even now their chats often end with, “Beta, degree le leta.”

Wanted to become an astronaut initially:

“It was 2006, my final year in college, when I dropped this bomb at home. They were shocked! So shocked that they couldn’t say anything and I took their silence as their approval…. It was hard at that time but now it’s different. My dad loves it when, on his walks, people call out to him, show him some recent clipping on me…he is really proud of me. But even today, almost all our conversations end with ‘beta, degree le leta’,” he had then shared.

Despite excelling in studies, he won the National Olympiad in Physics and got into the Delhi College of Engineering. Sushant revealed that engineering wasn’t what he truly wanted. As a child, he dreamed of becoming an astronaut or an Air Force pilot, and felt heartbroken when told it wasn’t possible. He joked that his dramatic reaction back then should have hinted at his future in acting.

“Engineering wasn’t my choice. I wanted to be an astronaut, and later, an Air Force pilot. I remember tearing up my Top Gun poster when my parents told me that was not going to happen. Apparently, I was going to be an engineer. Maybe the drama I did that day should’ve given everyone a clue! But truly, I was gutted,” he had stated.

Instead of going to Stanford University, where he had a scholarship offer, Sushant left college and moved to Versova, sharing a small room with six others. Years later, in 2015, his college offered him an honorary degree. Sushant said he was surprised and touched, as he had left in his third year to chase his Bollywood dream, and it meant a lot that his college wanted to honour him.