Earth Day 2024: Actress Bhumi talks about 'Pednekar ke ped', ostrich mentality, climate anxiety and more

Lights, camera, Earth!


When we first saw Bhumi Pednekar in Dum Laga Ke Haisha in 2015, we witnessed her impressive acting skills and her ability to connect with the audience. With time, she grew into a formidable presence on the Indian cinema landscape, paving the way for socially-aware, yet entertaining filmography.


In recent years, this Bollywood superstar has stepped onto a bigger stage – one where the spotlight shines on environmental and climate awareness. In a world where the spotlight often blinds stars to the sufferings of the planet and its people, Bhumi reminds us that every person on this planet needs to keep that spark for eco-consciousness alive.


In an exclusive interview with Business Insider India, Bhumi Pednekar spoke about her struggles with eco-anxiety during her early years, her efforts to strike a balance between her professional career and environmental responsibilities, her advice for the younger audience, and her take on the climate action across the globe.


Catch the full interview here!

“When I started my climate journey, it was a very lonely path for me, Every time I spoke about it, people made fun of me. Eventually, through the years, I met like-minded people, and I realised that this is a real problem. Even today, I get really worried, I have bouts of anxiety and go into a spiral that you know, what will happen now and so on. In such times, what truly helps me is to actually do something towards dealing with the problem,” says Bhumi.


Acknowledging her efforts to spread awareness on these critical topics, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) named her as India's first National Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Just last month, the World Economic Forum (WEF) recognised her as a Young Global Leader (YGL). On Earth Day 2024, she also joined UNDP’s global initiative called the ‘The Weather Kids’ — a global campaign to raise awareness about climate change and drive the world towards taking meaningful climate action.


Talking about the campaign Bhumi Pednekar stated, "I’m deeply disturbed by Climate Change and the impact that it is having the world over. I have dedicated my life to working on this and helping raise awareness… I have always been committed to using my platform to raise awareness about the urgency of climate action and to empower individuals and communities to adopt sustainable practices. Together, we can make a difference and create a more sustainable and resilient world for future generations.”


Further, Bhumi’s role as a climate warrior has also seen her collaborating with activists and institutions nationwide, amplifying their voices and supporting initiatives focused on environmental preservation and climate action. As an ardent advocate for environmental and climate action, she has effectively utilised her fame to champion causes like waste segregation, rainwater harvesting, recycling, and conscious fashion choices.

“Climate Warrior, which is our nonprofit, is an advocacy platform I started in 2019. The idea was to bring all the work of creating awareness under one umbrella. And then we started the Bhumi Foundation, through which we are again just trying to streamline everything that we do, we have not opened it up for others to come in and work,” said Bhumi, encouraging younger generations to also find their own tribe to influence and drive change.


The theme for today’s World Earth Day 2024 is Planet Vs Plastic, and it is time for all of us to gauge our individual and collective impact on our environment and try to reduce it. “One big thing that we can do is to look for and support businesses that are trying to go green and create a positive impact on our planet. If investors support such businesses, and consumers pick such products, our carbon footprint can be lesser,” explains Bhumi.


“Every day is Earth Day. This is our only home, there is no alternative, and there is no plan B! The way we show empathy and sympathy towards our loved ones, we should show empathy towards everybody else that we share this planet with. It really breaks my heart when you see on the news that a major city like Bangalore is still witnessing a water crisis and our capital city Delhi has winter days where schools are canceled because of the pollution. We are all in this together, we all are a part of the problem. And we all need to be a part of the solution as well,” concludes Bhumi.


Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India. The excerpts has been partly edited for length and clarity.