Anjum Fakih: When everyone’s chasing westernisation, here we are going back to our roots

Actor Anjum Fakih is all set to be seen in the upcoming reality show Chooriyan Chali Gaon, which explores rural life in India through the eyes of participants from urban backgrounds. For her, the show resonates deeply with her own story. “I was born in Chiplun, Ratnagiri. We are from the coastal side of Maharashtra—simple, humble people who eat fish, lentils, and rice,” she shares. However, her family shifted to Mumbai when she was just two. “My upbringing and education happened entirely in the city. We used to visit our village only during summer vacations, and even then, we weren’t allowed to do any work—it was strictly a break.” What intrigued Anjum most about the show was the opportunity to immerse herself in a rural setting unfamiliar to her.

“We only go to our village. I haven’t been to anyone else's village. India has so many villages, and through this show, I get to live, eat, and build relationships with people in one of them.” She adds, “Internationally, we’ve seen many reality shows, but none that take people from cities into the countryside. It felt new, fresh, and rooted. At a time when everyone’s chasing westernisation, here we are going back to our roots. That’s what drew me in.”