Father’s Day 2021: Celebs spill the beans on becoming pandemic daddies

We talk to first time celeb dads — Nakuul Mehta, Mohit Malik, Aftab Shivdasani and Ruslaan Mumtaaz on how has it been for them in the pandemic.

The past one year has indeed been tough for each one of us. For some celebs though, the overall gloom was sprinkled with some good news, too — as they embraced parenthood for the first time. This Father’s Day, we get talking to actors, who are celebrating it as first time daddies, to tell us how’s it been so far, juggling work and daddy duties:

Actors Nakuul Mehta and Ruslaan Mumtaz with their newborns.

RUSLAAN MUMTAZ

Honestly, I had never held a baby ever, I was always scared, and never took my friends’ babies in my hands, too. But when I saw my baby, Rayaan, I don’t know from where I got the confidence. Maybe I lost that fear because I knew it was mine. That sense of ownership comes in, that you’re responsible for this and not answerable to anyone.

Ruslaan Mumtaz with his son Rayaan.

The lockdown and pandemic kept everyone at home. The amount of things I’ve been able to do with my child, regular dads don’t get the opportunity. When my son was born, we had a nanny and everyone to look after him. I was at home, so most of the time I’d give him a bath, change his nappy and make him burp. I became a hands-on father because there’s nothing else to do at home except being with the baby. If his nappy is dirty, I can’t wait for someone to clean him, and all these things are very easy. There’s just a perception it’s not. The best thing is the way he looks at me, with so much happiness and love.

NAKUUL MEHTA

If you step away from the suffering around us, personally, for me, it has been a defining year. It’s very easy to say you want to be an equal parent, but for that you need to be there in terms of time. I wouldn’t have this opportunity had it been normal. Me realising what it is to see a new life, my son Sufi, every morning, 24x7 has been the greatest take away from a pandemic, which has been the worst in our human history.

Nakuul Mehta with son Sufi.

For me, Father’s Day is still about me wanting to make it special for my father. The feeling that now you are a father yourself, has not sunk in yet. At the peak of your career, when your machine is well oiled, you want to work. The transformation has been at the peak of it for me. You want to really spend time with family. I’d like to cherish that and hold on to it when we get back to normalcy.

MOHIT MALIK

The feeling of being a father is unbelievable, I get it in spurts. At some moments in the day, when I’m alone, or I and my wife Aditi are alone, we tend to forget we have a son, Ekbir, also now. Looking at him is one of the best feelings. It’s very strange, thinking he was always there with us, but was not visible, we can see him now.

Mohit Malik with Ekbir

The stress, however, of the pandemic is there, it’s a part and parcel of our lives now. We both as parents have accepted it. We never know how it’s going to be or how long it will stay. The fear will remain like background music in our heads. I have come to terms with it, Aditi will, too. We maintain all precautions, but don’t get bothered by it now. My excitement and level of happiness is much more.

AFTAB SHIVDASANI

The feeling on first seeing my daughter, Nevah, was indescribable and overwhelming... she was such a surreal sigh. It felt like nothing before. It was like a miracle happened right then and there. It’s such a beautiful feeling to know that as human beings, we have the ability to create a life and nurture it with love. Sometimes, I still pinch myself when I see her.

Aftab Shivdasani

The pandemic has spread a lot of negativity and fear among people, but the upside is that we have the chance to spend quality time together and cherish this time. I enjoy just doing daddy’s duties and helping Nin (my wife) as much as possible, as each day of growth and development for Nevaeh is a milestone. I know I’ll have to return to shoot anytime, so I’m cherishing every moment with them. I’m sure Nin would have planned something special for all of us this Father’s Day.