Parenthood calling, stars take break from work

They are the among the most popular faces in the country, adored and adulated by millions and millions of fans who wait eagerly for their movies, TV shows and performance on the turf and would take a break from anything to watch their heroes in action.

But with parenthood calling these super busy heroes themselves are taking break from work to spend quality time with their families.

Staying awake all night trying to croon a newborn to sleep or changing nappies may not be the images that Saif Ali Khan, Virat Kohli or Kapil Sharma conjure up, but these heroes are proudly embracing these periods of ‘privilege’.

On February 21, one of the most prominent couples of Bollywood to hit the headlines regularly, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan, welcomed their second son.

Saif, who is supposed to shoot for Adipurush, a film by director Om Raut, has taken paternity leave and would go to floors once the leave is over. Saif is also supposed to appear in a another film Bhoot Police that stars Yami Gautam and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Shortly before that, Kapil Sharma, one of the most popular actor-comedians in the country, took a break from The Kapil Sharma Show that is aired on Sony TV during weekends.

“I need to be there at home with my wife to welcome our second baby,” wrote Sharma to a fan who wanted to know why the show is going off air.

Saif Ali Khan was more categorical. “Who wants to work when you have a newborn at home! If you don’t see your children growing up, you’re making a mistake. And I can take time off from work — it’s privileged position,” he told a magazine in an interview.

In December another super celebrity, India cricket captain Virat Kohli Kohli returned to India after playing the first test with Australia in Adelaide after he was given paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

On January 11, Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma, one of the hottest and busiest couples of the country, had their first child.

In a post dripping with emotion, Anushka wrote on Instagram, “We have lived together with love, presence, and gratitude as a way of life but this little one, Vamika has taken it to a whole new level! Tears, laughter, worry, bliss – emotions that have been experienced in a span of minutes sometimes! Sleep is so elusive but our hearts are SO full.”

A life under the arclights is a challenging one that makes exacting demands of continuous high levels of adrenaline and little time for oneself, but many celebrities of the tinsel town are making sure that they don’t neglect their family despite pressing engagements.

And the Kohlis, Khans and Sharmas are no exception. Many stars, including some of the busiest names in the tinsel town, are regularly seen spending time with their near and dear ones.

Take for example, Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra, Soha Ali Khan and her husband Kunal Kemmu, actor Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira.

On September 7 last year, when the country was reeling under the pandemic and people were staying inside their homes, Hrithik Roshan posted a picture on Instagram where he was seen with father Rakesh Roshan, mother Pinky Roshan, two sons and former wife Sussanne Khan, uncle Rajesh Roshan and a few others.

Rakesh Roshan was seen cutting a cake. “This Sunday was Dad’s 71st birthday. We, his family with all our idiosyncrasies ended up having a GREAT time,” Hrithik wrote in the post.

Significantly, the concept of family has not been nuclear and extended beyond the husband wife and kids.

On January 19 with #mominspirit and #motherbylaw actor Kajol posted a picture with her mother-in-law on her birthday where she addressed her as “my partner in crime”.

The Bachchans, arguably the first family in Bollywood, are all over the cyberworld where Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek and Aishwarya are seen spending time together. In 2019, Aishwarya flooded the internet with pictures of the entire family celebrating raksha bandhan.

In the picture Aishwarya and her daughter Aaradhya were seen tying rakhis on the wrists of their brothers. A few other pictures portrayed the entire Bachchan family complete with Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta Bachchan and her kids.

On January 24 this year, veteran actor Anupam Kher posted a picture on Instgram of her mother Dulari Kher’s video where she was seen knitting wool.

In November 2018, Sushmita Sen and her boyfriend Rohman Shawl were seen spending the Diwali with the two daughters of the former Miss Universe. While 27-year old Shawl was holding Sushmita close, her younger daughter was clinging to her and the older daughter was sitting near her feet.

Shilpa Shetty and husband Raj Kundra are also regularly seen in videos together. Last year posting a video of a family workout at her home that included her seven-year-old son, Shetty wrote, “I truly believe that the family eats, prays and works out together… stays together!… A morning well-spent, this was! I hope you are all staying home and staying fit too!”

Actor Soha Ali Khan and her husband Kunal Khemu spent New Year’s eve with close family members and friends at the residence of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

Last year actor Shahid Kapoor gladdened many hearts when he posted several pictures of Mira, daughter Misha, son Zain and other members of his family.

“I was pretty self-oriented till I became a parent. Though I believed I was selfless. But when I became a parent I realised I was actually damn selfish. Now I don’t put myself first. You end up thinking about your kids and family first…,” Shahid Kapoor told a magazine in an interview.

The list goes on. The family, the most enduring institution in human civilisation, is the glue that binds rich, young, beautiful, promising, jet set young men and women with millions of fans, together for years, decades and lifetimes.