Known for making audiences laugh through television comedy shows, Rajiv admitted that talking about his childhood remains one of the most difficult things for him. He said the memories are so painful that even when he uses them as material in his performances, he often becomes emotional after leaving the stage.

Thakur said his family's life changed dramatically soon after his parents got married. According to him, his father was asked to leave the ancestral home, forcing the family to start over with very limited resources. They eventually moved into a single-room house where every aspect of daily life revolved around the same small space.

Recalling those years, the comedian said the room functioned as their bedroom, living area, kitchen and even a makeshift bathroom. With five family members sharing the space, privacy was almost impossible. He described the conditions as extremely difficult and said those memories have remained with him throughout his life.

The family's financial condition worsened further after his father's thread manufacturing business in Amritsar was destroyed during the unrest of 1984. With no steady source of income, paying rent itself became a challenge. Rajiv said there was only a single 40-watt bulb in their home, and he had never seen the bright white light of a tube light until he visited other people's houses.

He also recalled that electricity usage was tightly controlled by the landlord, who switched off the power every night because electricity charges were included in the rent. After that, the family either went to sleep or relied on an oil lamp. Living on the third floor without a lift meant carrying buckets of water upstairs every day, while his mother stitched clothes for customers to help support the household.

Despite the hardships, Rajiv said those struggles taught him resilience. Looking back, he feels grateful for how far life has brought him, although he acknowledged that memories of those difficult years still leave a lasting emotional impact.

Over the years, Rajiv Thakur has established himself as one of television's popular comedy performers. He first gained recognition through The Great Indian Laughter Challenge before becoming a familiar face on Comedy Circus, The Kapil Sharma Show and The Great Indian Kapil Show. Apart from television, he has also appeared in Punjabi and Hindi films.

His emotional account has drawn attention on social media, with many viewers appreciating his honesty about growing up in poverty despite later achieving success in the entertainment industry. The interview has also highlighted the personal stories of families whose lives were disrupted by the violence of 1984 and the long-term impact such events had on ordinary households.

For Rajiv, however, the memories remain deeply personal. While comedy became his profession, he says some experiences from his childhood still cannot be separated from the emotions they carry, making them difficult to revisit even after years of success.