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The Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar recently appeared on the sitcom's official podcast hosted by Jessica Radloff. The British actor looked back at season one episode titled The Grasshopper Experiment from 2007.
In the CBS show, the 44-year-old actor portrayed Raj Koothrappali, a graduate of Cambridge University with a doctorate in astrophysics. Employed as an astrophysicist at Caltech, he was one of the most intelligent characters in the series who was known for his achievements, including the discovery of the planetary object 2008 NQ17, his published work on Kuiper belt object size distribution, a place on People magazine's "30 Under 30" list, and more.
During the latest episode of The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, released on May 12, 2025, Kunal Nayyar discussed how his character became an inspiration for kids to “pursue the sciences” in his home country, India.
“I meet people and I hear such great stories about this show inspiring their children to pursue the sciences, but also pursue acting and create a world for yourself where you can do this on a global scale, you know, that it's achievable.”
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Kunal Nayyar opens up about encouraging young Indians through The Big Bang Theory
On the podcast, Kunal Nayyar revealed what it feels like to get approached by fans of the sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. When host Jessica Radloff asked him about getting recognized in London or New Delhi, Nayyar responded that although the show is “absolutely popular” in London, he receives a different kind of love in India.
“You know, of course, in London, it's huge. But in India, it's a different kind of rage because I'm Indian. You know, so there's this sort of real connection to people that I've done something that they're proud of. And so it's I've met with a lot of affection when I'm home in Delhi,” the actor said.
He also reminisced about working with Kal Penn, who played Dr. Campbell in the last two seasons of the CBS sitcom.
“It opened up the doors for me. So it was a full circle moment to have Kal on the show. He's since become a very good friend. But that was a full circle moment for me to see someone whom I really looked up to. And he paved the way for people like me to be able to be on the show,” Nayyar added.
Meanwhile, Jessica Radloff remembered how the actor once told her during the interviews about how it was so important for him to do “right by everybody” that he grew up with—his parents, his friends, his family, and his country. That's when Kunal Nayyar added:
“I hope I did that for other young Indians, you know.”
About The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory premiered on CBS on September 24, 2007. The sitcom ran for a total of 12 seasons and concluded on May 16, 2019.
The show was led by Johnny Galecki who played Leonard Hofstadter. He was joined by Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, Kaley Cuoco as Penny, Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz, and Kunal Nayyar as Raj. The show reportedly won 10 Primetime Emmy Awards.
