Kunal Nayyar’s secret acts of kindness spark online discussion

The star of “The Big Bang Theory” Kunal NayyarThe months-old interview is gaining traction online, drawing attention to his comments about donating to GoFundMe pages. The actor’s generosity has sparked renewed interest following the death of James Van Der Beek and the GoFundMe campaign set up for the actor’s family.

This revelation sparked an online discussion, with users highlighting broader issues, such as the healthcare system and people’s reliance on crowdfunding sources for medical expenses.

Kunal Nayyar is the “masked vigilante” of GoFundMe

In December 2025, Nayyar conducted an interview with The paper iin which he said that having money had given him “greater freedom”, adding that he used it to give back and “change people’s lives”.

“What I really enjoy doing is going on GoFundMe at night and paying random families’ medical bills. It’s my masked vigilante thing,” Nayyar explained, saying “the money doesn’t seem like a burden.”

His interview went viral on social media after it became known that Van Der Beek’s friends had created a GoFundMe page to support the late actor’s family and six children. As The explosion As previously reported, the campaign raised over $1 million in less than a day.

Kunal Nayyar’s Philanthropic Efforts

Nayyar and his wife, Neha Kapur, are philanthropists who use their wealth to help others in need. In addition to making anonymous donations to GoFundMe pages, the couple also supports animal welfare charities and helps fund college scholarships for young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Although the actor believes that not everyone has the luxury of helping others the way he does, he says there are other ways to help those who aren’t as fortunate in life.

“We expect a president or a politician, a leader, to come and bring us world peace. But there is no world peace if your neighbor comes to your door asking for sugar for his tea, and you block his door and say ‘run away,'” Nayyar noted.

Actor’s Net Worth

As reported by Celebrity Net Worth, Nayyar has a net worth of $45 million, largely coming from his work in entertainment.

Nayyar started acting in 2004, but his main role was as Rajesh Koothrappali in “The Big Bang Theory”, which aired for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019. The Hollywood Reporterthe show’s five main cast members, including Nayyar, earned up to $1 million per episode in the sitcom’s final seasons.

In 2015 and 2018, Forbes ranked Nayyar as the third highest-paid television actor, earning $20 million and $23.5 million, respectively.

After “The Big Bang Theory” ended, Nayyar continued to star in shows such as “Criminal: UK” and “Suspicion,” as well as films including “The Storied Life of AJ Fikry,” “Spaceman” and “Christmas Karma.”

Social media users react to actor’s generosity

Nayyar’s acts of kindness, particularly his GoFundMe donations, have drawn mixed reviews from users online. Many called him out for making an anonymous donation, while sharing it on a post where thousands, if not millions, could read the information.

“He did it in private, was it necessary to declare it publicly?” » a user questioned. “If he’s doing it in secret and it’s going well for him, why the sudden need to make it public. Just give the impression that he’s looking for applause and validation from the public. Without minimizing his kind gesture,” one noted.

Some came to the actor’s defense, noting that the anonymity aspect referred to the families not knowing the source of the donations, rather than the public being unaware of Nayyar’s generosity. “It’s one thing to give to a big foundation, but there’s something very personal and empathetic about staying up at night and finding individual families to help,” one commented.

“This is less about a star donating money and more about someone using their privilege to reduce random suffering, one notification at a time,” added another.

Users highlight the biggest problem

Amid the announcement of the GoFundMe for Van Der Beek’s family and Nayyar’s efforts to ease the burden on families in need, social media users are turning their attention to a larger concern: the country’s healthcare system.

As one user noted, “It’s incredibly moving that Kunal would do this, but it’s also a heartbreaking reminder of how poorly the healthcare system works. We shouldn’t have to rely on The Big Bang Theory stars randomly finding us on an app to pay for life-saving surgery.”

Another user commented: “A celebrity covering medical bills is generous. A country where foreigners need GoFundMe to survive is broken. Applaud this man. Question the system.”

Ultimately, Nayyar’s quiet philanthropy sparked discussions about how individuals can make an impact, even in the face of systemic challenges.