It’s been 15 years since Riteish Deshmukh made his foray into Bollywood. He started out with Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003) opposite Genelia D’Souza — who he’d go on to marry almost a decade later — and later saw success and fame with films such as Masti (2004), Kya Kool Hai Hum (2005) and Bluffmaster (2005). But the actor says that he is happy with the way things have happened, and wouldn’t want to change a thing. “It has been overwhelming to have lived this life and to be part of a family that has made me who I am. This has got nothing to do with what my dad achieved as a politician. It is a choice I made, and given a chance, I would want to repeat everything. Of course, it’s possible I could have done something better or been more understanding, but that goes for everyone,” he says.
Riteish feels that though there is a lot to achieve and experience in a lifetime, it should not come at the cost of missing out on life. He says, “People need to phase out their lives in sections. Many people tend to extend one phase for too long and miss out on the others. This is sad, as every phase has its own beauty.”
Speaking about his children, Riaan and Rahyl, the actor says, “Riaan doesn’t know what his parents do, but he thinks that YouTube or television is where he can see his parents dance and perform. I am sure he thinks everyone’s parents are on YouTube. I don’t think he realises what we do yet.”
Riteish is currently working on his next production, Faster Fene, which is based on a comic book about a boy who becomes a detective. Who was Riteish’s favourite superhero while growing up? “Honestly, Shivaji Maharaj was the only one who truly inspired me by his heroics,” the actor says.
The Lai Bhaari (2014) actor, who studied for a year in Pune, loves the fact that the city has managed to appeal to both urban and rural sensibilities. He says, “Pune has always been special, as it is where my dad studied. It is also a city via which we reach our hometown, Latur. It has definitely been a part of my childhood.”
{{/usCountry}}The Lai Bhaari (2014) actor, who studied for a year in Pune, loves the fact that the city has managed to appeal to both urban and rural sensibilities. He says, “Pune has always been special, as it is where my dad studied. It is also a city via which we reach our hometown, Latur. It has definitely been a part of my childhood.”
{{/usCountry}}anjali.shetty@htlive.com