Genelia Deshmukh reveals how Riteish Deshmukh tackled paparazzi when they once reached their children’s school

Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh opened up about their upcoming show Flipkart Ladies vs Gentlemen season 2, their children and their upcoming projects.

Over the past few years, paparazzi have become a predominant part of celebrities' lives. Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh are no different. Not only do the couple often pose for the paparazzi but the cameras also catch glimpses of their sons Riaan Deshmukh and Rahyl Deshmukh.

Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh are parents to sons Riaan Deshmukh and Rahyl Deshmukh.

While Genelia and Riteish's children are aware of the paparazzi culture, the couple has placed a boundary on where the children would and would not be photographed. One such place is their school.

"When the kids were smaller and the schools were on, a couple of photographers would come to click Riteish or myself there. I think Riteish had once spoken to one of them (and said) 'You click as many pictures as you want of me but the kids, it is a little unfair to the other kids as well as to our kids, to be clicked in a place which totally theirs. It's not our place at that point of time'," Genelia told Hindustan Times in a recent interview.

"When they came to school, I requested them to click anywhere else but don't come to school. You know, leave them, let them be. And they did that, they never came back to the school. I respect them for that," Riteish added.

Whenever the children spot the camera, the couple revealed, they greet them with folded hands. "We make sure that they're not supposed to feel special because there is someone out there who wants to click their picture. We always say, 'Today they are there, tomorrow they might not be there. Whenever they are there, respect it and move on. Don't expect people to be there to click your pictures.' I lead my life that way and I just hope this stays with them that way," he said.

Riteish and Genelia spoke about their children and the paparazzi culture while discussing the second season of their show, Flipkart Ladies vs Gentlemen Season 2. The game show features women and men discussing numerous topics. The couple, who co-hosted the first season as well, said that the second season will be bolder and thought-provoking.

Asked if the second season's topics were influenced by the lockdown, Riteish said, "There would be a gamut of questions that season 2 has probably touched upon. It’s not just about equality within the lockdown. Of course there are some fun questions regarding that. But it is not restricted only to the lockdown."

He added that some of these topics and questions in the second season left him and Genelia pondering. "When Ladies vs Gentlemen's second season asked us some questions that we have not put our head into, (we thought) arre ye kya sawaal hai, iska jawaab kya ho sakta hai (What kind of question is this, what could be the answer to it?)," he said, adding that the couple had not encountered such questions in real life.

Besides the reality show, Riteish is set to make his digital debut with Netflix's Plan A Plan B. The film also stars Tamannaah Bhatia, Poonam Dhillon and Kusha Kapila. Speaking about working on a digital film as against a big screen project, the actor said, "I guess the subjects might change because when you look at (theatrical films), you might find a great subject (and think), 'Arre ye story bahut achi hai (This story is good) but I'm not sure ye theatre mein chalegi ke nahi (if this would work in theatre or not).' In digital, that fear is not there because platforms take greater risk and they believe in depth of content more than commerce."

"Sometimes, we've been part of films that have been great content and commercially have not been successful, or commercially films have ₹150 to ₹200 crores and probably might not be critically acclaimed. So that's a choice when it comes to theatrical (films) you have to make and you keep making those choices. But when it comes to digital platforms, I guess it is something that I'm happy to have that opportunity (to choose)," he said.

While Riteish is preparing for his digital debut, Genelia said that she's also ready to make her comeback. So what's holding her back? The ideal script, she said. "I'm ready to be back on screen at some level but I also think I have the good fortune of having the time to wait till I feel that it’s something that I just want to jump into. Till that happens, I don't know, it may happen this year, it may happen next year. I am ready for it to a large extent and I hope I get to see myself on the screen soon because it’s something that I absolutely love. I love acting. I really hope its soon," she concluded.