Father's Day: Actor Manoj Pahwa shares 'why family is central to his existence'

Mumbai, June 18 (IANS) Actor Manoj Pahwa, who is known for his work in films like "Article 15", "Mulk", the show "Office Office", "Singh Is Kinng" and several other works, on Father's Day revealed why family is so central to his existence and why he takes the role of a father seriously.

The actor began his acting journey with India's first daily soap "Hum Log" in 1984 but put his ambitions on hold for many years to take care of his father's business and also looked after his siblings.

"Both Seema (his wife) and I come from close-knit families and grew up seeing how much our parents did for our education, well-being, and our future. We imbibed their values of commitment and sacrifice and as parents, we learnt to find a balance between work and family. During school breaks in summer, we consciously made the decision to not take any sort of work and enjoyed spending time together. No matter how late we came from a shoot, we always made time for a family dinner," he said.

Pahwa is a proud father as both his children are doing great in life. The actor, who narrates legendary writer Saadat Hassan Manto's seminal Partition tale, "Toba Tek Singh" in wife Seema's directorial "Koi Baat Chale", said: "Seeing your children grow and become individuals with their own unique identities is immensely fulfilling. My son and daughter are both making a mark in the creative field and their achievements make my wife and me very proud."

He, however, conceded that fatherhood has its own inherent challenges and says: "Children today are tech-savvy from an early age and we belong to an era when owning a phone was a big thing. This generation has access to global exposure, world cinema, and hundreds of channels and changing oneself constantly to fit in with their thoughts and ideas is the most difficult part of parenting."

The actor also feels that the communication is the key in the relationship between a parent and a child and his biggest priority as a father has been to keep communication flowing freely between him and his children.

"It is so important to ensure that as a parent, your bond with your kids is strong enough for them to have confidence in you in every eventuality. We should not create gaps in communication because that will force your children to seek solace and guidance somewhere else. As a father, I have worked very hard to ensure that this connection with my children never weakens or breaks," he said.

"Koi Baat Chale", a show by Zee Theatre, is currently streaming on Zee5.

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