Wonder how we’ll be as parents: Nakuul

Last November, Nakuul Mehta announced that he and musicianwife Jankee are going to be parents. The couple is excited and their families too, are over the moon. In an exclusive interview, the actor admits that it felt strange to say the couple had a phenomenal year together when it has been rather difficult for many. Mehta says, “Never before did Jankee and I have this kind of time together in all our years of knowing one another. I felt like the break, which happened due to the pandemic, firmed up our plans of wanting to start a family. Till then, we were both busy with our careers. This slowdown made us think how do we see ourselves 10 years from now?” From paternity leave to what kind of a dad would he be, Mehta has thought about all that and more. “I have been reading up a lot, including books on fatherhood and being an equal partner on choices in parenthood. We read a book on French parenting, which says treat the child like a human being while Indian parenting is so protective of kids that they don’t let them make mistakes and the child always gets attention from the family,” he explains. Of course, the couple has been overwhelmed with information and advice from friends and family but they have learnt to take some and let go of some. “In fact, the father is never asked how is he? People ask if he is taking care of his wife, and deservingly so. Even I am going through different emotions but I guess that’s how it is Women friends have been encouraging while all male friends have told me to live my life before the baby comes along,” he grins. With the baby due in early February, Mehta is taking things easy. “Last year taught us to not constantly be on the run, so taking time off till March is easier. It is tough to know what kind of parents we would be, but we are trying to be as relaxed as possible.”