‘MAHIKAA IS MORE INCLINED TOWARDS ARTS’
Says Arjun Rampal as he talks about his daughters, Mahikaa and Myra and their career choices; also talks about playing a soldier in his next release, Paltan
Arjun Rampal’s last release Daddy (2017) might not have worked at the box office but the actor has moved past that, and is now looking forward to the release of JP Dutta’s Paltan. Arjun plays a soldier in this war drama, which is based on the 1967 Nathu La and Cho La clashes at the Sikkim border after the 1962 Sino-Indian war. Arjun admits that the film helmed by a veteran film-maker like JP Dutta was reason enough for him to say yes to it.
Talking about his decision to be part of this ensemble cast, Arjun says, “I have always wanted to do a proper war film. It was obviously JP Dutta sir, who was going to be helming it, and he was coming back to complete his trilogy and most importantly, I thought the subject was significant. It is an important part of Indian history that has been lost somewhere in translation, maybe because of political reasons. I wasn’t aware of the 1967 skirmish, I don’t know anybody who is part of the film who was aware of it. When JP sir told me these stories, it was a gooseflesh moment, and I wondered why did I not know about this. If this platoon had not done what they did back then, without getting the permission from the centre, we wouldn’t have Sikkim today.”
Arjun’s personal life has been under the scanner in the past few years after his separation from wife Mehr Jesia but his daughters, Mahikaa and Myra aren’t in the limelight. While Arjun admits that his daughters are interested in arts, he isn’t sure what they’ll finally end up becoming.
“My elder daughter, Mahikaa is more inclined towards arts. I would like them to get a proper education first, even if it is to eventually become an actor. Today, you have wonderful film schools, so my advice to them is to go and study the medium and understand it properly. I don’t want them to blow up their entire youth on just coming into this profession and losing out on the beautiful period of making friends and leading a normal life. If you still feel that this is what your heart desires, then you do it,” he says. “Finally, we all make our own decisions and need to be responsible for that. I would like them to be happy in whatever they do. If Myrah wants to become an artist, I’d be more than happy,” he adds.