Jim Sarbh fondly remembers his childhood in Sydney: Our backyard would be full of cockatoos, kookaburra, wombats
Mumbai, June 1
Actor Jim Sarbh has spoken up on how his childhood in the outskirts of Sydney shaped his personality.
The actor spoke with IANS during the promotions of his upcoming OTT show 'Made in India: A Titan Story', in Mumbai.
Since the show presents the story set in pre-liberalised India, the actor was asked about his memories of growing up in the 90s with tech which was not intrusive like the modern tech of the 2020s.
The actor said that he shifted to Sydney in 1991, and grew up in nature's lap. He told IANS, "I was very very lucky in my opinion. I lived in the suburbs of Sydney, not even the city of Sydney, not in an apartment but in an old school suburban house. Now the suburb was like far out of the main city. So it wasn't expensive. All the kids in the area went to the public school. It was really a very simple and lovely childhood because there was a park up the road. You had a backyard. Everyone had backyards. You could go to anybody's house and play outside".
He further mentioned, "And it was all about that. Now, despite that, my mother tells me that if she put me in front of the television she would come back three hours later and she'd be like, 'Jim, what are you watching?' And I would be sitting there just watching the news or the weather or whatever it had changed to. I was just obsessed with the television and what was going on the television".
The actor shared that if I had access to all of that technology, he would have used it, and would have found sneaky ways to use it".
"I think living in that particular place, it just opened me up to this possibility of going to the park up the road, going into the woods. It was just another thing. Our backyard would be full of cockatoos. If we threw discarded food on a rock, a kookaburra would come and eat it. You could walk and see wombats. I really honestly believe that's the way a kid should grow up. If you have the opportunity of taking your kids outside of a city and giving them a more natural kind of upbringing, I think it's just the best thing for you", he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Absolutely love this! Reminds me of my chilhood in Karjat district - we had peacocks and monitor lizards in our backyard. Jim is right, nature does wonders for a child's development. But let's be real, in India, most of us can't afford that kind of suburban lifestyle anymore. Mumbai's real estate prices are insane! 🦜
I grew up in Sydney too (though in an apartment near Bondi). Jim's description is spot-on - the wildlife there is unreal. But here's the thing: India has its own amazing biodiversity. We shouldn't romanticise the West too much. Our village kids grow up surrounded by parakeets, monkeys, and peacocks. It's just that we Indian urbanites have lost that connection.
Jim Sarbh is one of our most underrated actors! And this interview shows his depth. But honestly, I wish more Indian celebrities would talk about our own natural heritage. We have the Western Ghats, the Himalayas, our national parks - so much beauty. Instead of always looking abroad for 'natural upbringing', let's celebrate what we have. The kookaburra sounds cool though! 😄
Jim's absolutely right about how kids should grow up. But let's face reality - most Indian parents can't afford to live in suburbs with backyards. We're crammed into chawls and apartments. It's not about choice, it's about economics. Instead of dreaming about Australian childhoods, maybe we should focus on creating more public parks and green spaces in Indian cities. That's a more practical solution for our children.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.