‘As a parent I could not give time to my son’
Parenting is a tough act. It’s best played as a twosome. But what happens when life dictates that you go it alone? Actor Rahul Dev talks about the challenges a single parent faces
When actor Rahul Dev lost his wife Rina, he was left with the responsibility of bringing up his only son singlehandedly. He did not take up any work in the glamour industry for a few years and devoted himself to single parenting. He shares his memories of that difficult time, and his take on his career at present.
Rahul believes a woman is much stronger than a man, emotionally. “Physically, a woman may not be all that strong, but emotionally women are better than men. I personally feel they are far stronger as a single parent,” he says.
Going into detail, Rahul feels women are very good as parents. “That comes naturally to them,” he says. Admitting that there could be exceptions, he is of the view that in general women do better as single parents. “They don’t get nervous especially when a child is sick. They handle things in a calm and settled manner. They are traditional home makers,” he says, adding, “My father was working. My mother brought up three children. Women are all-rounders. My dad was a gallantry award winner. It’s not that someone is less or somebody is more, but when you look at life, gallantry award can’t pull our lives forward.”
“I tell my son ‘you have everything.’ But he regrets having lost his mother so early in life. No amount of money can make up for the loss of a mother,” he says regretfully.
I tell my son ‘you have everything.’ But he regrets having lost his mother so early in life. No amount of money can make up for the loss of a
mother
Physically, a woman may not be all that strong, but emotionally women are better than men. I personally feel they are far stronger as a single parent
THE HARD PART
So what were the areas that were especially hard for him as a single parent, we ask. “I was emotionally drained,” says Rahul. “I did not have a 9 to 5 job. We may be shooting sometimes in Delhi, sometimes in Hyderabad, or elsewhere. Ours wasn’t a fixed job. I hardly shot in Mumbai,” he says, looking back. “It was only during this COVID time that I have shot here in Mumbai,” he adds. “As a parent I could not give time to my son,” he rues. “But if it had been a woman instead of me, she would have been able to do that.”
GOOD TIMES
Talking about his career, Rahul says last year was his busiest year. “I have had six releases.
Two weeks ago, Raat Baaki released, and got a very good reception. This year there have been many good releases for me. It took time, but now professionally I am running on the right track. Everything takes time,” he points out. “You need to learn from experience, thus evolving and getting better in life,” he says, signing off.