From greens to screens: Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui to Paramvir Cheema, 5 actors who stay connected to their roots through farming

The beauty of showbiz is that people from different backgrounds come together for their common love for films and acting. While it’s often said that one needs to stay in touch with their roots, here are a few actors who do that quite literally with their farming background.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Nawazuddin Siddiqui comes from a family of farmers, with his forefathers being in the field for decades. Even the actor spent almost 25 years of his life in the profession. While he got busy with his acting journey thereafter, during lockdown he got to revisit his farming roots as he went back to his hometown Budhana in Uttar Pradesh. Whenever the actor visits his village, he makes sure to work on the farm still.

Pankaj Tripathi

Before he became one of the most loved and talented actors in Bollywood, Pankaj Tripathi worked as a farmer. He has fields in Bihar and has even bought a piece of land near Mumbai where he grows mangoes, chickoos, papayas, turmeric, lemons, black pepper and jackfruit. The actor has also invested in initiatives to inform farmers about the best farming practices.

R Madhavan

A vocal nature lover, R Madhavan took his love to the fields during Covid lockdown as he transformed a barren land into a coconut farm in Tamil Nadu, along with his brother Subayogan. With their hard work, the brothers restored greenery and birdlife in the region.

Prakash Raj

Prakash Raj loves to spend time out there reconnecting with nature and being one with it. During Covid lockdown, he found solace in the vast expanse of nature to stay away from the death and destruction that was happening around. He even designed a concept called the ‘Life at Prakasham’, a recreational getaway in Shamshabad, for those who want to experience nature. The entire farm there is chemical-free and is in line with sustainable living.

Paramvir Cheema

The time of Covid lockdown helped many people get back to roots, including Paramvir Cheema. The actor’s grandfather was a farmer and doctor, and his father started his career as a lawyer but then quit it to take up farming too. Before turning an actor, Parmavir used to practice farming, but it was during the lockdown that he got to do it more closely. He wanted to take it up full-time as he enjoyed it but it was his father who motivated him to focus on his acting journey.