The untold stories of Jitendra Kumar

Brut India

In this freewheeling chat with Brut, Jitendra Kumar spoke about how he followed his heart to be where he is today.

Transcript

00:00I was convinced from inside that I am not a good engineer.

00:03I had started theater there.

00:05So, I used to get time for that.

00:07Complete studies plus theater or extra effort was required.

00:11I mean, all my attention was on theater.

00:13The rest of the things were like, yes, it will be done.

00:15I will have to find something else.

00:17Now what else will happen?

00:18Either I go for UPSC preparation or go for teaching.

00:21Because a lot of people who pass out from IIT,

00:24they go to Kota and teach.

00:26You know, that is also an opportunity.

00:28Before that, you also did a job, right?

00:30Yes.

00:31Then how did you come to Bombay all of a sudden?

00:33Why Bangalore?

00:34How do you know about that job?

00:35Because I have done research.

00:43Whose dream was IIT?

00:44Dad's or yours?

00:46Everyone in the house is a civil engineer.

00:48Dad, uncle, cousin, they are also civil engineers.

00:51And there are a couple of civil engineers in the family around me.

00:55So, there is an atmosphere of civil engineering in the house.

00:57So, from there, you know, from some college,

01:02then from some other better college.

01:04So, there was one thing that no one has gone to IIT.

01:06Then for the first time I heard such a thing that

01:08there is a place called IIT, which is a very big place,

01:11a very premium place.

01:12I got to know such an atmosphere of IIT.

01:16Then it came a little that yes, I will go for it.

01:19I will try for it.

01:21But whenever we used to talk, you know,

01:24we used to feel that it is very tough, it is very difficult.

01:27Even there will be no selection in the coaching institute.

01:29They also have entrants.

01:30Coaching institutes also have entrants.

01:32They are so difficult that leave IIT,

01:34there will be no selection there.

01:35So, there were such talks.

01:37Whenever you talk about IIT,

01:39with friends or classmates or schoolmates or seniors,

01:42whenever you talk, there was a very scary image of IIT.

01:46It is very difficult to go there.

01:49But it was that yes, I will give it a try.

01:51When you were in engineering college,

01:53as it was shown in three days,

01:55is it as strict or is it shown a little more in that

01:58or is it a little less?

01:59In our IIT, my department was a little strict

02:03because the professors were strict.

02:04Generally, civil is a little chill in other IITs.

02:08But somehow in our IIT,

02:10there were 2-3 very strict professors.

02:12So, because of them, the environment was a little scary,

02:15it was strict and rules had to be followed a little.

02:19But overall, the environment of IIT Kharagpur was a little chill.

02:23I started theater there.

02:25So, did you get time for that?

02:27Did you get full education plus theater

02:30or did you need extra effort?

02:32I mean, all my attention was on theater.

02:34The rest of the things were like, yes, it will be done.

02:36So, all the attention, all the focus,

02:38it was going on throughout.

02:40Which play are you doing now?

02:42And the rest of the societies,

02:44the societies that I am a part of,

02:46what are they playing?

02:47When is their play going to happen?

02:48When is their production going to happen?

02:49So, I have to go and see that.

02:51So, all the interest,

02:52all the inclination was on this side.

02:55How did you have that conversation?

02:57When the time came,

02:58when you had to go home and tell?

03:00I think in that,

03:01because I was very close to my cousins,

03:03all the cousins,

03:04so they helped me a lot.

03:06And I told them first,

03:07made them understand the interest.

03:08So, those people related a little.

03:10They understood that yes,

03:11what I am believing in,

03:13I mean, what I like,

03:15what my interests are.

03:17And they understood that

03:18if I do what is in my interest,

03:19then things can be better.

03:21So, they helped a lot.

03:23And he was the mediator

03:24between my parents and me.

03:26And finally,

03:27whatever I was feeling,

03:28I used to tell them

03:29and they used to tell them.

03:30Then whatever they felt,

03:31they used to tell their cousins.

03:33And then it used to reach me.

03:35So, this went on for 3-4 days.

03:36Then they got convinced

03:37and they supported.

03:38Before that, you also did a job, right?

03:40Yes.

03:41Then how did you suddenly come to Bombay,

03:44to Bangalore?

03:45How do you know that I did a job?

03:46Because I did research.

03:48Job, I mean,

03:49basically,

03:50I joined TVF directly from IIT.

03:54And for 3 months,

03:55I did all the different jobs

03:57in the office.

03:59Whatever video was being shot,

04:00whatever was happening around them,

04:02from printing the script,

04:03to bringing the props of the set,

04:06to managing the costumes,

04:09I did all those jobs.

04:10All the work of an assistant director.

04:13I did that.

04:14And wherever I got a chance,

04:15for any video,

04:16I felt that yes,

04:17someone said that you can do this character.

04:18So, I played all those characters

04:20throughout those 3-4 months.

04:22Then whatever I did,

04:24the videos that I was a part of as an actor,

04:26actually,

04:27we all didn't like them,

04:28including me.

04:29I also didn't understand

04:30what kind of space is this?

04:31What kind of videos are these?

04:32And I couldn't understand much.

04:34So, I decided that

04:35I won't do these videos live

04:36because they are not that good.

04:38And I realized a little

04:40that the acting thing is not working

04:42and I have come to become an actor.

04:43So, I am doing the rest of the work additionally.

04:45That is not my main motive.

04:48My main motive is that

04:49I should do characters,

04:50I should do acting.

04:51Which was not happening very well.

04:53Then I decided that

04:54I should do a job.

04:56Then I applied for a job.

04:57Somehow, I got a job in Bangalore.

05:00And I went to Bangalore.

05:01Then I was doing my job in Bangalore.

05:04Then somehow,

05:05they released those videos

05:06and those videos became very popular.

05:08The characters that I was playing

05:10became very popular.

05:12So, yes.

05:13Then I got interested again

05:16that let's learn acting

05:18or let's go back to acting.

05:20You know.

05:21So, I got interested again

05:22that let's go back to Mumbai.

05:23Then a moment came

05:24that I left my job

05:26and came back to Mumbai.

05:27Did you have to convince yourself

05:29that let's leave it.

05:30There is a stable job.

05:33There is a salary.

05:34There is a regular income somewhere.

05:37Not much.

05:38Because somewhere inside

05:39I was convinced

05:40that I am not a good engineer.

05:41So, I will have to look for something else.

05:43Now, what else will happen?

05:44Either I go for UPSC preparation

05:47or I go for teaching.

05:53Because a lot of people

05:54who pass out from IIT

05:56go to Kota and teach.

05:58You know.

05:59That is also an opportunity.

06:00So, that was also in my mind.

06:02But somewhere I was convinced

06:04that there is not much interest

06:06in anything else

06:07except acting.

06:08There is some interest in acting.

06:09So, I was looking for opportunities

06:11that how can I look for things

06:13related to acting

06:15and connect with those people

06:17who are part of this industry.

06:19And how can I find that job

06:21and start working.

06:22So, I was convinced from inside

06:24that I am not a good engineer.

06:26So, I think that was enough for me.

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