Do you feel that in real life too, your baby may take over your life?
No, no, no. I’ll never let Aryan turn into a film in my life. In a film, you have certain preconceived notions. With a kid, I don’t have any preconceived notions- that he’ll grow up to be 6’2 or whatever. I’ll just let him be, I’m not going to ask him to be anything. Then I won’t be disappointed.
What did you feel when u first held the baby?
Very small. A lot like Bill Cosby when he told his wife when his child was born, ‘You know, this love affair we’ve had for 13 years, we’ve been married six and you know what we’ve produced, we’ve produced a lizard.’ When he was born, Aryan looked like a lizard, a small lizard and a Chinese lizard at that. Grey, blue. But what’s nice is that he doesn’t cry. He just sleeps all day. I wish I could do that. I like calm people.
Who selected his name?
I did. I was just sitting and Aryan came to my mind. It’s always been there but it’s never been used. I said why not Aryan.
Has your relationship with Gauri changed after the entry of the baby?
He’s only 25 days. I always liked her. I only find her a little more mature now. I find her older that me. I find her like a mother, more than I can be a father.
Mother to the baby or to you?
I just find her like a mother. There’s a girlfriend phase, a partner phase, a wife phase and then there’s the mother phase. It brings about a strange kind of feeling. I’ve always respected women, not just my wife. Women are superior. Everything they have is superior. I’ve always felt that Gauri’s a nicer person than me or at least equal in everything. I find her unequal now. I find her better. She’s gone beyond me now. Somebody said, ‘Don’t demean women by saying women are equal to men.’ Women are better human beings to start off with and God gives more to good human beings that’s why he’s given them the prerogative to deliver children. And God gives them good husbands (laughs) sometimes. Actually that’s the only negative God gives women. Men.
Before Aryan, did you ever seriously think about parenthood and about bringing positive human beings onto the earth?
I still don’t think about parenthood. Being positive is not my job, it’s Aryan’s job. What he wants to be, what he will be, is up to him. I am what I am because I was let loose. I was allowed to be what I am. Whether I turn out to be good or bad in the end is all my responsibility. I think Aryan will be more or less free. That’s what I would like to give my child- freedom. I don’t expect anything from him. I don’t want to give him the feeling of security in term of I’ll leave a lot for him. He has to do what he has to do.
Do you have plans or fears for Aryan, for his tomorrows?
Life is the greatest thing I have given him. I can’t give him anything bigger than life. And that too, my participation was like 10 to 15 per cent. I’m happy with that.
Has fatherhood affected your acting skills?
(Laughs loudly) Yeah, I treat all my heroines like children now. I pick them up, I cuddle them, I call them ‘baby’. I don’t think it’s affected my acting anyway. I was always a softy deep down inside somewhere. If anyone’s changing diapers, I can change them better. That’s the only thing that’s gotten better.
Do you think having a child at home calls for a display of a larger degree of sensitivity?
I’m over sensitive anyways. My wife and my friends tease me about it- not just about getting hurt. I’m also very sensitive to other people |
