Riteish Deshmukh: I teach my kids when people click us, it’s an honour
Not one to hide his sons from the paparazzi, Riteish Deshmukh believes it’s important they grow up without a sense of entitlement
Earlier this year, after a break-in at actor-couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Mumbai residence, several celebs including Saif and Kareena, Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas among others requested paparazzi to refrain from photographing their children, prioritising their kids’ privacy and safety.
However, actor-couple Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh take a different approach with their sons, 10-year-old Riaan and eight-year-old Rahyl. The children are often seen greeting paparazzi with folded hands, appearing at ease in the public eye.
Also Read | Riteish Deshmukh’s 5 must-watch films on OTT if you liked him in Raid 2
Ask Riteish about it and he tells us there is “no set norm” for how celebrity parents should approach their children’s exposure to the media.The actor, who is riding high on the success of his films Raid 2 and Housefull 5 says, “Just because one person does something doesn’t mean others have to do the same. I think parents know what’s best for their children and they come with a certain thought process . If people feel that they don’t want their children to be in the media, it should be respected.”
Riteish, the son of the late politician and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh, has himself grown up in the public eye.
The 46-year-old actor feels that avoiding the camera is nearly impossible, especially in today’s era of pervasive paparazzi culture: “Our kids play sports and they are out there everyday. Sometimes we want to go and watch their matches and some paparazzo will come and click pictures, you cannot avoid it. One has to deal with it. You have to talk to the kids and ensure they don’t feel entitled.” So, have their kids ever asked about the constant attention they receive during family outings?
Riteish, who is returning to the next installment of the 2004 comedy film Masti, shares, “It happened many years ago. Back then they didn’t understand what movies were or what profession we were in. Now they are slightly older and they probably realise a bit as to why people click them.”
He continues, “The only thing I tell them is that when people click us, it’s an honour. When they (paps) ask for pictures, you thank them for clicking and move on. They (kids) also need to understand that when someone comes and clicks you there is a certain work gone behind the need to come to click us. It’s important to not make a big deal out of it.”
