Kunal Nayyar’s Secret Acts Of Kindness Sparks Online Discussion

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

The revelation started an online discussion, with users pointing to broader issues, such as the healthcare system and people’s reliance on crowdfunding sources for medical expenses.

In December 2025, Nayyar did an interview with The i Paper, wherein he said that having money has given him “greater freedom,” adding that he uses it give back and “change people’s lives.”

“What I really love to do is go on GoFundMe at night and just pay random families’ medical bills. That’s my masked vigilante thing,” Nayyar shared, saying that “money doesn’t feel like a burden.”

His interview has gone viral on social media after news that Van Der Beek’s friends set up a GoFundMe page to support the late actor’s family and six children. As The Blast previously reported, the campaign raised more than $1 million in less than a day.

Nayyar and his wife, Neha Kapur, are philanthropists, using their wealth to help others in need. Apart from anonymously donating to GoFundMe pages, the couple also supports animal charities and helps fund university scholarships for young adults who come from underprivileged backgrounds.

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

“We are expecting a president or a politician, some leader, to come and bring us world peace. But there is no world peace if your neighbor comes to your door wanting some sugar for their tea, and you lock it against them and say ‘get away’,” Nayyar noted.

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

Nayyar began acting in 2004, but his breakout role was as Rajesh Koothrappali on “The Big Bang Theory,” which aired for 12 seasons from 2007 to 2019. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the five lead actors in the show, including Nayyar, earned as much as $1 million per episode in the latter seasons of the sitcom.

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

After “The Big Bang Theory” ended, Nayyar went on to star in shows, such as “Criminal: UK” and “Suspicion,” and movies, including “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry,” “Spaceman,” and “Christmas Karma.”

Nayyar’s acts of kindness, specifically his GoFundMe donations, garnered mixed reviews from online users. Many called him out for donating anonymously, yet sharing it on a publication where thousands, if not millions, could read the information.

“He’s been doing it in private, was there any need for the public declaration?” one user questioned. “If he’s doing it in secret and it’s been going well for him, why the sudden need to make it public. Only make it seem as if he’s seeking public applause and validation. Not downplaying his kind gesture though,” 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 massive foundation, but there is something so personal and empathetic about sitting up at night and finding individual families to help,” one commented.

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

Amid news of the GoFundMe for Van Der Beek’s family and Nayyar’s efforts to help ease the burden of 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 is doing this but it’s also a heartbreaking reminder of how broken the healthcare system is. 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 strangers need GoFundMe to survive is broken. Applaud the man. Question the system.”

Ultimately, Nayyar’s quiet philanthropy has sparked conversations about the ways individuals can make an impact, even amid systemic challenges.