Why Amitabh Bachchan's granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda found tractors more exciting than Bollywood stardom

Navya Naveli Nanda, the granddaughter of Bollywood legends Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, has deliberately stepped away from the limelight of the film industry. Unlike her brother Agastya Nanda, who made his acting debut in Zoya Akhtar’s 2023 Netflix film The Archies, Navya chose to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.

In an interview with Elle India, Navya revealed that her childhood in Delhi played a major role in shaping her interests. She said, “I grew up in Delhi, so a large part of my childhood was spent watching and listening to my father talk about business, and more specifically, tractors. From a very young age, that is what excited me. I never wanted to join films; I wanted to be an entrepreneur.” Her father, Nikhil Nanda, is the Chairman and Managing Director of Escorts Kubota Limited, a company focused on agricultural and construction machinery.

Rejecting Industry Pressure, Embracing Heritage
Despite being born into one of India’s most iconic film families, Navya emphasized that her background has never been a source of pressure. “Absolutely nothing about where I come from, or who I am, or who my family is has ever been and will ever be a weight. It has only given me immense pride to belong to where I do. I carry each and every aspect of it with pride, and more importantly, responsibility. All I do is to make my family proud,” she said.


Acknowledging the advantages she’s had, she added, “I have always accepted the privilege I come from. It has allowed me to be who I am today. I am accepting of the fact that I was given many opportunities at a very young age that have allowed me to be where I am today, and for that, I will always be grateful. Making the most of those opportunities and doing justice to them is all that matters — giving it the best you can and not taking it for granted.”

Inspired by the Women in Her Life
Navya also credited her mother, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, and grandmother, Jaya Bachchan, as role models. She spoke about the influence they have had on her sense of identity, stating, “Both mom and Nani have never shied away from being who they are: confident and bold. They embody the kind of woman I would hope to shape into one day.”

Navya's Ventures Beyond Business
Now 27, Navya is actively involved in several initiatives. She co-founded Aara Health, a platform aimed at improving women’s health, particularly in rural areas. She also leads Project Naveli, a non-profit focused on gender equality. In addition to working with her father’s business, she dedicates part of her evenings to studying for her Blended Post Graduate Programme (BPGP) at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.

She also hosts What The Hell Navya, a podcast that features multi-generational conversations with Shweta and Jaya Bachchan. The podcast, now in its second season, explores various issues related to women’s lives and experiences in modern India.