What was Ashok Kumar before he became an actor?

Ashok Kumar (13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), born Kumudlal Ganguly, and also fondly called Dadamoni, was an Indian film actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He was honoured in 1988 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India and also received the Padma Bhushan in 1999 for his contributions to Indian cinema. He is considered to be one of India's finest actors ever, playing leading, negative and character roles with equal panache.

Kumudlal started off as a laboratory assistant in Bombay Talkies and lived with his sister's family in Chembur, not far from the studio. This was in the early 1930s. The salary was fairly decent; furthermore, Kumudlal was successful at his job and enthusiastic about it. Kumudlal thus began his film career, albeit as laboratory assistant in a film studio. Kumudlal Ganguly was happy working as a laboratory assistant and remained in that position for some five years.