Kota Factory fans might not know that Jeethu Bhaiya’s role in real life is quite similar to that of Jitendra Kumar. The actor too had gone to Kota for preparation and after clearing the exam, he moved to IIT Kharagpur. However, fate had something else in store for him and he soon left his engineering career behind and turned to acting. In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, Jitendra recalled the pressure he faced after the death of students in Kota and IIT.

“A lot needs to change. I think as a society we should reflect on our experiences and make it easier for the next generation. Whatever we have gone through should be a learning ground for us. We have faced very tough times, struggled a lot and so we need to understand where the youth comes from,” he said in an exclusive interview to IndiaToday.in.

He further added, “There are days when you don’t want to study or go to class and we should accept that. If that’s not the case, what’s the point of having an experience? You can’t have the mindset that we have managed, so they should too. We have to break this generational cycle and set them free. Only then will we be able to emerge as a strong society.”

We asked him if the news of children committing suicide in Kota affected him personally, as he has been there too. Jitendra replied, “Not just in Kota, I have been to IIT Kharagpur and experienced these losses myself. There are many stories of my juniors taking such extreme steps. It was really sad and painful for all of us.”

Recalling one such incident, the ‘Panchayat’ actor revealed that there was a period when there were several suicides in a span of a few months. “I actually know a few of them,” he said. Taking a long pause, he added, “Some of the reasons were so bizarre that they would shock you. I remember a boy came who wanted to go to IIT Delhi. However, since his rank was not high, he did not get into the top branch there. Because society ‘expected’ him to be in a better branch, he was forced to come to Kharagpur. He committed suicide on the first day itself. Imagine the kind of pressure he was under to fulfil these shallow expectations. And what happened? It all ended in such a tragic way.”

Jitendra said that after this shocking incident, the situation had become so desperate that the institute had to take steps to protect young minds. “There is nothing much to do in Kharagpur, there are no activities or places to visit. Students would often sit in front of computers after classes. After these incidents, the authorities decided that there would be no electricity between 8 and 10 pm. Everyone was forced to step out of their rooms and mingle with other students. They were asked to go out and this was strictly followed for a few months. I think we have reached a stage where it is really important to take action to help save young lives,” he said.

‘Kota Factory 3’ starring Jitendra Kumar is streaming on Netflix. The actor was also seen in ‘Panchayat 3’, which is currently streaming on Prime Video.