Fathers, they say, are superheroes without capes, who love and care in their own unique way. Shatrughan Sinha must be a proud father to watch his daughter Sonakshi Sinha complete a little over a decade in an extremely cut-throat and fast-changing business entirely on her own terms. Shotgun and Shotgun Junior, as they are fondly called, have rarely made appearances on-screen together. Barring a song and a few commercial activities, theirs is a parent-child jodi one would love to see on the big screen someday.

On the occasion of Father’s Day, bring this up, and Sonakshi says, “I would love that, too. The thought of it makes me feel very happy, but we have not really come across something magical that gets both of us going. It’s just something that has been on our wish list for a while, but we have not found something that ticks all the boxes for both of us. Pretty much like the song last year, it has to be something special. It could be a film or a show, but we both have to like it equally.”

During her growing up years, her father would travel extensively for work and shoots, so the last year-and-half gave the actress a chance to spend a lot of quality time with her dad. Sonakshi shares, “Between last year and this year, my father has been home extensively, and I have had a chance to be around him for longer spells. Today’s a day when I think I am just going to pamper him all day...we’ll watch a film or two together, cut a cake and spend the day as he wishes to. Throughout my life, I had only seen him travelling for his work commitments. This phase is a time when we’re making up for all that lost time. Girls are generally considered to be closer to their fathers, and I was no different in that sense. I was my daddy’s girl, but as I grew up, I became both mom and dad’s favourite baccha — a situation I am very happy with.”

Apart from an extensive inning as an actor, Shatrughan Sinha has also had a long career as a politician. When asked about the influence her father has had on her, Sonakshi says, “He has influenced my life in a big way. People compliment me for being my father’s daughter, and for being like him in so many ways. There is a certain way that he has led his life — he has never been diplomatic, has a unique persona and a larger-than-life presence. I have taken a small percentage of that, and it has made me who I am. It is because of the upbringing my parents gave me. I take pride in calling myself Shotgun Junior.”