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National Girl Child Day| Every kid should be celebrated, but girls should be celebrated more, says girl-dad Gautam Rode
On National Girl Child Day, girl-dad actor Gautam Rode says discrimination between a boy and a girl occurs when the families treat them differently
Since becoming a parent in 2023, actor Gautam Rode accepts that his world has transformed. With the arrival of his twins — son Raditya and daughter Radhya — he feels a deep sense of fulfilment. On National Girl Child Day today, he says, “Every kid needs to be celebrated, but girls are special, so they should be celebrated more.”
He admits that “the love I feel for both my children is the same, but as a father, there’s a different kind of attachment with my daughter”. Rode explains, “As a dad, you want to be protective and possessive. Whenever Radhya smiles, it brightens up my day. Being a dad to a daughter is an indescribable emotion. Like they say, fathers are more attached to their daughters.”
He adds that in his family “there’s no difference between a boy and a girl”, and both are given the same values and opportunities. Rode shares, “I have a sister and my wife Pankhuri (Awasthy Rode; actor) has two brothers and both our families have treated all siblings equally. Haan, ladkiyon ko shayad thoda zyaada laad pyaar mila! I think the upbringing matters the most with kids and shapes their worldview. That has helped us all in seeing the world in a different light. I want to give that kind of upbringing and pass on those values to my kids, especially my daughter.”
Talking about the way women continue to face systemic discrimination and inequality across the world, Rode shares his view: “Discrimination between a boy and a girl occurs when the families treat them differently. We need to start from the core and treat them equally while they grow up, as that will give them the confidence to go out in the world and live their lives. Sure, safety is a concern when it comes to my daughter. I would want to protect and safeguard her.”
