I want to live: TV actor pleads for financial help
The ongoing coronavirus crisis and ensuing lack of work opportunities have brought financial troubles for various actors and technicians of the entertainment industry. One such actor is Rajesh Kareer, who played the role of Shivangi Joshi's onscreen father in &TV soap opera Begusarai. The actor has shared an emotional video on social media, thereby seeking financial assistance. Here's more on this.
Rajesh has been living in Mumbai with his family for 16 years. In a Facebook video, the actor said that while he had no work for quite some time, the last couple of months have been particularly hard for him. "If I feel ashamed now, then life can become very difficult. I'm in desperate need of help... My situation is quite critical," he said.
Notably, all film and TV productions remain stalled since mid-March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. This has resulted in huge losses for producers and lack of work for numerous actors and technicians, who are now struggling to pay their bills.
Rajesh urged viewers to contribute Rs. 300-400 so that he could travel back to his hometown in Punjab and find some work there. "I don't know when shoots will resume or if I will get any work. Life has come to a standstill and I am unable to understand anything. I want to live," the actor said, while trying to hold back tears.
Begusarai aired on television from 2015 to 2016. The show starred Shweta Tiwari and Vishal Aditya Singh in lead roles. That apart, Rajesh has also featured in movies like Mangal Pandey: The Rising and John Day, among others.
On a related note, recently veteran television actor Ashiesh Roy, while being hospitalized in Mumbai, pleaded for financial aid for his treatment on social media. Worryingly, cases of suicide among actors are also on the rise amid anxiety over the lockdown and mounting bills. Two noted TV actors, Manmeet Grewal (32) and Preksha Mehta (25) recently committed suicide, citing these reasons.
