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MUMBAI : Nobody can ever forget that Rajesh Kumar played as Rosesh in Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai and his funny "kavitayen". Even after more than ten years, the public still praises the actor for his depiction of the self-described "momma's boy" in the TV series, even though he is known for playing memorable roles in series like Yam Kisi Se Kam Nahin, Neeli Chhatri Waale, and Yeh Meri Family, among others.
The former cast member of Baa Bahu Aur Baby is currently featured in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, which debuted recently and stars Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor. He talks about taking a break from acting, moving to his village in Bihar, and starting a farming career in an interview with popular news portal.
“In 2017, at the peak of my acting career on television, when I decided to take up farming. While I was thoroughly enjoying doing television, my heart constantly asked me, ‘Main next generation ke liye kya kar raha hoon? (What am I doing for the next generation?)’ except leaving a few tapes of entertainment.”
The actor had announced a few years ago that he was giving up acting to go back to his origins. Given that farming isn't a popular career to pursue, particularly for an actor, he was asked what motivated him to take a different route. He said, “I wasn’t doing anything special or extra to contribute to society. How will my children remember me? Acting aap apne liye kiya, apni security ke liye kiya, apni earnings ke liye kiya (I took up acting for myself, for a livelihood, and for financial security). I thought to myself ‘how am I going to leave any footprint behind’? That is when I went back to my hometown and cultivated crops.”
Over his five years as a farmer, he overcame numerous obstacles while cultivating crops, teaching other farmers, and encouraging them. Many were surprised to read in the headlines that he was declared bankrupt.
“Many outlets reported that I was a farmer on a break who wanted to try acting. Some wrote I quit acting to become a farmer and other said because I had no money, I took up farming,” says Rajesh, adding, “Owing to the lack of prior experience and expertise in farming, I suffered huge losses, and I became bankrupt. There were debts to be paid. Life threw many challenges at me, and soon the COVID-19 pandemic happened, which made things even worse — those five years were full of difficulties, to say the least, but I kept going. Here, my education kept me motivated. Amid adversities, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel and was able to find a way.”
The actor frequently posts pictures and videos of himself on set or offering advice on framing on social media. The images of him living a simple life with a gamcha wrapped around his head have captured the hearts of the internet. However, he claims that at first, farming didn't yield any money.
“I realised it was going to be tough, but I had the spirit to fight, and that’s how the idea ‘Mera Family Farmer’ was born. Although it wasn’t lucrative in the beginning nor any business was coming from it, it kept me and my passion alive. Farmers’ earnings multiplied by four times, more than 50 acres of land became chemical-free, there were people who switched to a completely natural diet, buying grains and groceries from the farmers. Over a span of five years, I worked on attaining these,” reminisces.
He claims that being in nature and near the soil has improved his acting skills, so the benefits of farming go beyond merely eating healthily.
“Farming and being amid nature taught me more patience and the ability to observe. It brought a certain sense of thehrav (stability) in my acting, too. When I was practicing farming, I met real people who helped me understand myself and my skills better, which in return, helped me become better at my craft,” adds the actor who hoped his career will take off after SOTY.
Once assured that he was able to bring about a positive change during this five-year-long break, he realised a lot of good content was being made in the OTT space, and he wanted to explore them. “I wanted to change how I was looked at and perceived as an actor. I gained weight, and roles started pouring in. So during this sabbatical, when I was not being seen on-screen, it actually worked in my favour,” he adds.
Rajesh wants to leverage his fame as an artist to promote farming and assist farmers in better marketing their goods. “They (farmers) will ask you whether to use chemical fertilizers or gaumutra. Today, farmers can grow whatever the consumer wants, and depending on that, they can grow anything. People who have worked in the Silicon Valley have quit their jobs and taken up farming. So it speaks volumes about the scope in this field. Farmers are now aware; there is a need for consumers to educate themselves about eating naturally-grown food and grains, produced by our own farmers,” he said.
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Credit- The Indian Express
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