Meet actor, IIT graduate who lived in jhopdi in jungle, survived on Rs 40 a day; one show made him star, now earns...

Written By Riya Sharma | Updated: Oct 10, 2024, 10:39 AM IST

Jitendra Kumar

This actor, who once lived in a hut in a jungle, survived on Rs 40 a day; later became an OTT star.

From Amitabh Bachchan, and Shah Rukh Khan to Rajinikanth, all these superstars who now live a luxurious life, once faced immense struggle but didn't give up. Another such actor, who used to live off Rs 40 a day through daily wage work, now earns lakhs per show. 

The actor we are talking about has given some of the most memorable characters and continues to impress the audience with his acting chops. He is an IIT graduate who decided to pursue his passion for acting. He is Jitendra Kumar. 

Jitendra Kumar was born in Khairthal, Alwar, Rajasthan. In a recent interview, the actor recalled how he and his family used to live in a hut in a Jungle and said, "We had a hut in a jungle. Our joint family would live there." He added that his family had a pakka makaan (brick house) and a jhopdi. This arrangement lasted for about six to seven months, a brief period during which his father and uncle, both civil engineers, constructed additional rooms. The actor described the experience as 'strange and uncomfortable'. 

He further recalled how he started working at the age of 11 and took on the responsibility of working with painters and carpenters, assisting the workers in building homes for Rs 40 a day. Though his father wasn't pleased with him working at this young age, he found joy in being part of the construction process, witnessing how a house is built from scratch.

He then went on to graduate in Civil Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, a prestigious institution in India, and then paved a successful career in acting for himself. He starred in Munna Jazbaati: The Q-tiya Intern in 2013 which instantly went viral and crossed 3 million views. Since then, he has portrayed several characters in TVF videos which include Tech Conversations With Dad, A Day With, TVF Bachelors, Kota Factory, and Panchayat. 

He is famous for his characters Jitendra Maheshwari, a frustrated corporate employee from TVF Pitchers, Gittu, a confused bridegroom from Permanent Roommates, and Jeetu Bhaiya from Kota Factory. The actor now earns Rs 5-6 lakhs per show and has become an OTT star.

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