Father's Day| Parambrata Chatterjee on becoming a dad: Holding my son for the first time was quite overwhelming
Parambrata Chatterjee expresses joy over his first child, a son. The actor talks to us exclusively about becoming a dad, pregnancy announcement and more
"It's quite a surreal feeling," says actor Parambrata Chatterjee, who recently welcomed his first child, a baby boy, with wife-singer Piya Chakraborty after 1.5 years of marriage. When asked how this new title of 'dad' feels, the actor says, "Feels very exciting, goes without saying. I have become a father a little later in life compared to most of my friends who became parents earlier, but I think I'm more mature. I've become a father after seeing more of life, which is a good thing, I feel."
Recalling the time he first held his baby boy, Parambrata shares, "Seeing the child for the first time, let alone holding it, was quite overwhelming. Even today, when I look at him and think that the two of us have made this one together, it's quite a surreal feeling."
The nine months of pregnancy were memorable, and Parambrata shares a funny story about how Piya broke the news of her pregnancy. "I had come back from a party late at night and had a meeting in the morning. Piya was trying to wake me up, despite my request to wake me at a specific time. Then she said, 'I'm going to tell you something that might actually wake you up.' That's how she broke the news to me," Parambrata recalls, adding that they've chosen a name for their kid, which they'll share when the time is right.
The couple is overjoyed about their new addition, but Parambrata reveals that they were initially expecting a daughter. "Both Piya and I were gunning for a daughter, but towards the last phase of her pregnancy, I started feeling it would be a boy. Many people around us also started saying it would be a boy, and I started getting the same feeling more than Piya," shares the actor, adding, "Funnily, our friends had also made bets about 'what's it going to be?' during discussions about the baby."
As a new father, Parambrata feels a significant change in himself but is focused on supporting his wife. "The kind of changes a mother goes through, I don't think a father or a man can ever experience. There's no comparison. That's my realization, and it's been the toughest part – just realizing that I'm not even feeling like 30% of what Piya is going through," says the 44-year-old actor.
Currently, Parambrata is on a break till July. "I'm on a break, pretty much till July. If needed, it can extend. I want to focus on this new chapter in life."
