From Stardom to Soil: How ‘Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’ Actor Rajesh Kumar Navigated a Rs 2 Crore Debt Crisis
In a career pivot that stunned his fans and the entertainment industry alike, beloved actor Rajesh Kumar—best known for his iconic portrayal of Rosesh Sarabhai in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai—stepped away from the limelight in 2017. Leaving behind a successful acting career, he returned to his roots in Gaya, Bihar, to pursue a life as a farmer, a transition that would lead him through years of profound struggle, financial ruin, and ultimately, a spiritual awakening.
A Leap of Faith
The decision to abandon the comfort of Mumbai’s sets for the unpredictability of agriculture was deeply influenced by the teachings of Sadhguru. Kumar, who had become a devoted follower of the Isha Foundation, found himself moved by the spiritual leader’s "Rally for Rivers" campaign.
"Sadhguru was constantly saying, ‘Give me 100 youth from your state and I will change the face of agriculture,’" Kumar shared in an interview with The Mystic World. The actor felt a growing disconnect between preaching about sustainable farming and actually experiencing the plight of the rural community. "I realized that it is better that instead of being on this side and asking the farmers to not put pesticides, I will have to jump on the other side and understand where the problem is."
The Burden of Debt and Obstacles
The journey, however, was fraught with catastrophic setbacks. Over a five-year period, Kumar’s attempts at horticulture were repeatedly thwarted by forces beyond his control. A rare, devastating flood—the first in the region in 35 years—wiped out his initial plantation. Despite planting 15,000 trees, his subsequent efforts were hampered by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a failing water table, which rendered his deep-bore well useless.
These compounding losses pushed the actor into a severe financial crisis, leaving him with an staggering debt of Rs 2 crore. At the peak of his financial instability, Kumar was even spotted selling vegetables outside his son’s school to make ends meet.
Redefining Failure
Despite the immense pressure, Kumar maintains that the experience was not one of failure, but of deep experiential learning. He credits his spiritual grounding for protecting him from the grips of anxiety and depression.
"Because of [Sadhguru’s] grace, I won’t call it failure," Kumar explained. "Now it doesn’t bother me, because I do not want to label it under success or failure. There was so much learning that happened, which otherwise, I couldn’t have learnt."
A Return to Stability
Having weathered the storm, Kumar has now found his way back to financial equilibrium. After returning to the screen with projects like Saiyaara, he has successfully paid off the vast majority of his liabilities. In a recent update, the actor confirmed that he has cleared nearly 90% of his debt, with only a small fraction remaining.
As he balances his renewed acting career with the lessons learned in the fields of Bihar, Rajesh Kumar stands as a testament to the idea that true success is not defined by external wealth, but by the resilience of the spirit in the face of adversity.
