D. Suresh Babu has gone from being a film producer, distributor, and exhibitor, to a farmer! Talking about his latest venture, he says, “Last year, I suffered from bad health because of the chemicals in the vegetables, milk and other food items I was consuming. So I decided to start my own farm on some land I had on the outskirts of the city. I purchased 30 cows, and named the farm Happy Cows.”
Not surprisingly, the producer was not well-versed in the nuances of farming when he first embarked on this journey. “Initially, I would call some of my cousins for help,” he says.
Now, he’s one proud farmer. “I have the best milk in town. Once I started feeding my cows organic food and pure water, I started getting the best milk. I want to sell it for Rs 150 per litre, but people at home laugh at me and say that no one will buy it,” Suresh Babu reveals.
Having got a hang of things, he wants to venture into the production of dairy products like ghee as well. “Anything that is produced without the use of chemicals is good. The ghee that is made of the milk from my farm is pure. And I want to sell it. Not to make money, but to show people the difference between pure and impure products. I am growing organic vegetables too,” he says.
And he wants to extend his philosophy to his studio as well. “I want to make my studio completely organic and eco-friendly. We attempted it a while ago, but we failed. Now, we are going to try it once again,” he says, adding, “Whenever I ask my staff for water, they get me a plastic water bottle. So I have bought a few steel bottles and asked them to use those. At least I can prevent the use of plastic in my studio,” Suresh Babu says.
The producer also hopes to inspire those around him to make such small but significant changes in their lives. “When I started this, I knew that people would say that I’d left the movies to venture into farming. But this small thing that I’m doing may inspire my friends, and others, to follow suit,” he says.
