Actor-producer J D Majethia ticked off an item from his bucket list as he climbed the Everest Base Camp recently. Currently in Kathmandu (Nepal), the 54-year-old took to Instagram to share videos from his 11-day trek. He tells us that it was actor Amitabh Bachchan’s 2022 release, Uunchai, which inspired him. “I watched the movie with my daughter. I told her and my family that I’m definitely going for this,” says the Khichdi actor.

He continues, “We only live once. This journey introduced me to a new J D. One must challenge themselves at every step.”

To prepare for the climb, the actor’s trainer asked him to strengthen himself, physically. “For one month, I climbed 17 floors of my (residential) building. Since my office is on the seventh floor, I would take the steps to get there too,” he shares, adding that he faced a health-related situation before leaving, but he never told his family about it: “Had I told them, they wouldn’t have let me leave.”

On his way to the Kala Patthar, Majethia’s health deteriorated. “You get acute mountain sickness. But I didn’t take any pills. I was certain that I’d pass through it. One morning, mera blood loss hua stool mein, so I got scared. If there is blood loss due to an injury, you aren’t much worried, but when it is internal bleeding, you are clueless,” he says.

Calling it a “cathartic” experience, Majethia adds, “It gave me a lot of satisfaction.”