Dr. Uday Modi is an actor whose purpose of acting is different

In the world of films and television, we often see actors who play different roles on screen, garnering applause and then moving on to their next project. But many a times in this dazzling entertainment world, we come across a face who  is  playing the biggest and most challenging role of life off screen,. Without makeup, without cameras and without the desire for clappings and applause.

Dr. Uday Modi is exactly one of those few. He is a well-known actor to TV viewers. He has appeared in various roles in shows ranging from Colors' "Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi," "Uttaran," and "Ishq Ka Rang Safed" to Star Plus' "Mere Angne Mein," Zee TV's "Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani," "Woh Apna Sa," and "Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke," Sony's "CID," "Yeh Jo Moh Moh Ke Dhaage," Sony Sab TV's "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah," and "Yam Hain Hum," Life OK's "Badtameez Dil," "Laut Aao Trisha," and "Tashan-e-Ishq," and Doordarshan's "Pavitra Bandhan." He has also worked in Gujarati and Bengali films.

But surprisingly, Dr. Uday Modi considers himself not an actor first, but a doctor, Even more so, he considers himself the son of three hundred and fifty parents. A son who became a support to parents abandoned by their own children. Dr. Uday is the support system for poor, lonely, sick, and disabled elderly people, providing them with daily meals, medicines, and surgical expenses.

The internet is filled with news and interviews about this Good Samaritan's noble deeds. When I scheduled an interview with him and began the conversation, the first question I asked was the one that probably comes to every film journalist's mind: "You've been working in TV and films for so many years. Is acting a career of passion for you?"

Dr. Uday Modi said, "Acting isn't my career. Acting is my medium to fulfill a purpose ."
I told him that actors generally pursue acting to gain fame, money, and recognition. He replied, "But I act so that no elderly person goes to bed hungry."

From there, the conversation ceased to be a film interview and turned into a story of humanity.
Dr. Uday Modi is an Ayurvedic doctor by profession. He has a small clinic in the Mira-Bhayander area of Mumbai. One day, an elderly man, who often came to him for medicine, visited him. He was about seventy-eight years old. His wife was bedridden with paralysis.

Recalling that day, Dr. Uday Modi said “He came to get medicine. As he was leaving, he started crying. When I asked the reason he said, “Doctor, there is no food at home today. My wife is paralyzed. We've spent a lot of money on her treatment. Now, even if someone gives us groceries , we won't be able to cook. We're both sick.” Hearing this, Dr. Uday was shocked and promised, “Uncle, you go home. I will send you food every day.”

I asked, “Did that anacdot effect you so much to take such a huge decision ?”
He remained silent for a while, then said, “When parents grow old, they become like children, and when the children are hungry, how can a father sleep peacefully? ”

From that very night, he started sending food for the elderly couple. He came home and spoke with his wife. Both of them had one question in their mind . " is this just the story of one elderly couple? The answer came within the next few days.

Dr. Uday Modi and his wife were determined to serve old and needy. . They distributed leaflets around the area, saying, "If there are elderly people who have no one to support them, please let us know." Thus, first, one tiffin was made, then eleven, and today, more than three hundred fifty tiffins are delivered.

This service was named 'Shravan Tiffin Service'.
I asked him, "What was the idea behind this name?"
He said, "Shravan Kumar carried his parents on his shoulders everywhere . Though I can't carry them on my shoulders, but I can't leave them hungry either."

Dr. Uday Modi doesn't just provide food. He provides medicine, treats illnesses, has special meals prepared for people with diabetes, and personally tastes the food before delivering it every day. He says, "If I can't eat the food myself, how can I offer someone else?"

The entire cost of this service isn't easy to maintain. It costs thousands of rupees every month. I asked him, "Where does all this money come from?" He replied simply, "Some from acting in TV and films, and some from kind people who volunteer to donate to my tiffin service. My Shravan Seva group includes the cooks and tiffin delivery men I hire, but there are also many charitable people who give up their free time to help with my tiffin service. This too is a donation, a donation of labor."

"Has anyone from the film or TV industry helped you, or is anyone helping you?"
"Mithun Chakraborty helped me and told me to call him whenever I needed help. He even gave me an award for this service. Everyone in the TV industry also appreciates my work. They invited me to reality shows and told the world about my seva mission. Shilpa Shetty, renowned director Anurag Basu, and many other stars honored me."

"You've been working in the TV and film industry for over fifteen years. What would you say about the emotions of these industries?"

Dr. Uday replied, "I've been in the acting industry since childhood. When I lived in Gujarat, a friend of my father, who was involved in Gujarati films, asked me to play a role in a film. That's where my acting career began, and even after moving to Mumbai, I remained involved. This entertainment industry doesn't run on emotions. You know this better Sulena Ma'am. Everyone here is busy with their own life, no one has time for anyone else. Of course there are some people in the industry who serve humanity, but it's still insufficient. More hands should be raised to serve, because there's no shortage of distressed, helpless elderly people here. I'm trying my best to ensure that, come storm or hurricane, I continue to provide food, medicine, love, and respect to poor, helpless, and sick elderly people, throughout my life, like a son. I know my children will take up this seva responsibility after me. I'm sitting in God's lap, daring to do Shravan Seva. I pray that I never run out of money. I never shy away from working hard as an actor to earn money."

This is the reason why. Dr. Uday Modi  acts in serials and films. This is why he doesn't care about roles, big or small. He invests whatever he earns from acting in the tiffin service. Because, for him, his real role lies outside the screen.

His children also understand this responsibility. Since childhood, they have never asked for expensive gifts . They saved whatever pocket money they were given in a small piggy bank. Then, one day, they gave it all to their father for the tiffin service. Even today, they help in every way.

Dr. Uday Modi's dream is to build a large house where elderly people who are bedridden and unable to do anything themselves can be accommodated in a home-like environment. Dr. Uday said, "The house I want to provide will not be an old-age home, but rather a 'son's home for their parents. A place where the elderly can not only stay , but live with dignity." Dr. Modi explained that he has purchased a 25,000 square foot plot of land in Uttan, and an ashram has already been built on it. Right now furniture is being made. The ashram will open in May, serving as a home for sick, homeless elderly people who cannot get out of bed.

When asked how he manages such expenses, Doctor Uday Modi said, "I put everything I earn into this service, and honestly, those who do good deeds never face any shortage. People come looking for me from far and wide and donate. By God's grace, I haven't faced any problems so far. We faced some difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, but even during that time, generous people from far and wide came looking for me and donated food grains.
Everyone is with me in my good deeds. Some donate money, some donate labor. Popular magazines like Mayapuri, Mayapuri Web and bolly.com are also helping us in their own way, publishing stories about me and my seva, thus spreading the word about my mission to millions. More people will continue to join."

As I was bidding him farewell after this conversation, I realized that Dr. Uday Modi is an actor alright, but the real work he does every day on the stage of life, is unparalleled where there's no script, no cuts, and yet there's only one role he plays with all his heart and soul each day: the role of a son.