Nakuul Mehta: It is tough to know what kind of parents we would be

In November, Nakuul Mehta announced that he and his musician-wife Jankee are soon going to be parents. The couple is excited and delighted and their families are over the moon.

In an exclusive interview, the actor admits that in a year which has been rather difficult for many, it felt strange to say that they had a phenomenal year together. Mehta says, “Never before did Jankee and I have this kind of time with each other in all our years of knowing each other. I felt like the break, which happened due to pandemic firmed up our plans of now wanting to start a family. Till now, we were both busy with our careers. The hustle was so much that we kept pushing it and thinking we will do it one day. This slowdown made us think how do we see ourselves 10 years from now? So, in that respect, it was planned. More than anything else, it brings in a sense of peace, which is hard to describe, and Jankee hasn’t even delivered yet. It is combination of the world slowing down and also that we have created a human together.”

From paternity leave to what kind of dad would he be, Mehta has thought about all that and more. “I have been reading up a lot, including books on fatherhood and being an equal partner on choices in parenthood. We have read a book on French parenting, which says treat the child like a human being while Indian parenting is so protective of their kin that they don’t let them makes mistakes, and always gets attention from family,” he explains.

Of course, the coupld has been overwhelmed with information and advice from friends and family but they have learnt to take some and let go of some. “In fact, the father is never asked - how is he? People ask if he is taking care of his wives, and deservingly so. Are you pampering her, etc. But no one has asked me how am I? As even I am going through different emotions but I guess that how it is (laughs). Women friends have been encouraging while all the male friends have told me to live my life before the baby comes (laughs),” he grins.

They had moved into their own house before the lockdown and have been busy doing up a room for the baby. The actor plans to be at home till few weeks of the delivery, which is in early February. “Last year taught us that it is okay to take it easy and not constantly be on the run, so taking this time off till March is easier. It is tough to know what kind of parents we would be but we are trying to be as relaxed as possible. I am content as it has been a good 2020 and now a fruitful 2021,” Mehta signs off.

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