'Credit card recovery agent used to abuse me': At 42, Sarabhai actor Rajesh Kumar recalls losing everything after quitting acting at peak. He reveals his biggest life lesson

Rajesh Kumar, best known for playing the lovable Rosesh Sarabhai in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, became a household name with the cult sitcom. While he has continued to work over the years, the actor grabbed attention again after appearing in last year's blockbuster Saiyaara. He is now busy with back-to-back projects. Alongside his professional comeback, Kumar has often spoken candidly about the difficult phase of his life when he stepped away from acting at the peak of his career.

As he gears up for the release of his upcoming film Ohh My Dog, which hits theatres on August 7, Rajesh opened up about the challenges he faced after leaving the entertainment industry for farming, the financial crisis that followed, and the lessons that ultimately changed him as both a person and an actor.

Rajesh Kumar on quitting acting for farming

Speaking to SCREEN, Rajesh revealed that he decided to take a break from acting when he was 42, even though many believed he was at the peak of his career.

He said he chose to pursue farming, but the decision came at a huge financial cost. The venture failed, and he lost everything before eventually returning to acting in 2022. Looking back, Rajesh described those five years as life-changing. He said the experience made him more grounded and gave him a deeper understanding of suffering, resilience and the emotional struggles people go through when they lose everything.



Recalling the most difficult phase of his life, Rajesh shared that financial problems tested both his dignity and mental strength.

He revealed, “I’ve lived through moments where the credit card recovery agent would call the watchman’s cabin downstairs and abuse me because I didn’t have the money to pay. I sold my car. The last vehicle I owned was an Eco Car, which I eventually handed over to my farmers in Nashik because I couldn’t pay them. I’ve been through so much."

Despite going through such hardships, Rajesh said he never allowed himself to fall into depression or anxiety. Instead, he chose to focus on learning from the experience. According to him, the biggest takeaway from those difficult years was the personal growth that came from enduring them.

How the struggles changed him as an actor

Rajesh believes the challenges he faced have made him a stronger performer.

He explained that after returning to acting, he realised he could understand the emotions and motivations of different characters much better because he had lived through so many difficult situations himself.

The actor said every experience shapes a person, and those years of uncertainty helped him connect more naturally with the roles offered to him. Rather than simply playing a character, he now tries to understand why the person behaves in a particular way.

According to Rajesh, this deeper emotional understanding has given him greater confidence in his performances.

'Becoming more human has improved my work'

Summing up the lessons from his journey, Rajesh said everything ultimately comes down to becoming more human.

He believes that the more he has evolved as a person, the better his work has become. For him, success is no longer measured only by fame or financial stability but by the ability to understand people, empathise with them and bring that honesty to every performance.

Rajesh Kumar's recent projects

Rajesh Kumar rose to fame as Rosesh Sarabhai in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, which aired between 2004 and 2006 and remains one of Indian television's most loved sitcoms. The show also featured Ratna Pathak Shah, Satish Shah, Sumeet Raghavan and Rupali Ganguly.

More recently, Rajesh was seen in the blockbuster Saiyaara, which brought him back into the spotlight. He is now preparing for the release of his next film, Ohh My Dog, scheduled to arrive in theatres on August 7.