This year, Mohit Raina’s birthday carries an extra layer of significance as he embraces the joy of spending it with his wife, Aditi Sharma, and daughter for the first time. The actor, known for his role in Devon ke Dev Mahadev, shares that this conscious decision was prompted by a desire to savour the small yet precious moments of life.

“For the first time, I’ll be celebrating my birthday not only with my [six-month-old] daughter but also with my wife. Over the past three years, circumstances prevented us from coming together on this day. Whether it was the pandemic, work commitments, or other engagements, I missed celebrating with Aditi. This year, I deliberately chose to take time off to be with family and cherish these moments,” says Raina, who married Sharma in December 2021.

As he turns 42 today, the actor discusses the profound joy of being present to see his daughter grow up: “Friends told me how quickly kids grow up. I didn’t want to miss these early moments of fatherhood, so I decided to prioritize family. I was uncertain about taking a break, but I’m content with my decision. Being there to see her when I wake up and before I go to sleep is invaluable.”

While highlighting his preference for intimate celebrations, he shares, “I’m not inclined towards extravagant parties or social gatherings, as I’m an introvert. I attend events when necessary.” 

Revealing the most cherished birthday gift he has received, Raina shares a poignant anecdote about a letter left behind by his father before his passing: “The letter is a treasure trove of blessings and guidance, containing life lessons and rules to follow. It’s akin to a gift from the divine. During moments of doubt or difficulty, I turn to the letter for solace and guidance.”

Don’t go by the roles he does on screen. Off screen, Mohit Raina is a fan of romantic dramas, and counts Life in a Metro (2007) among the finest love stories made in Bollywood. So, when Ishq-E-Nadaan was offered to him, the actor jumped at the opportunity of adding a romantic film to his resume. In conversation with mid-day, Raina talks about how the JioCinema offering’s simple yet heartfelt story appealed to the romantic in him.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

I wanted to do a romantic show for a long time. When I started working in television, I was never approached for romantic shows. In digital entertainment, I only did one series that had tinges of romance. I was waiting for something like Ishq-E-Nadaan. It’s a beautiful, light-hearted love story that talks about human relationships. Any actor would have grabbed this opportunity.

When Avishek [Ghosh, director] narrated the script to me, in my head, I was on board already. Almost 15 minutes into it, I was thinking about how I would arrange my dates and was doing [mental] calculations because I loved the script.

For me, Life In A Metro [2007] was one such movie. I liked the concept of [telling stories of] people in one city and how their stories connected despite being from different walks of life. After that, many people tried to emulate it, but it wasn’t accepted. I wanted to do something like that for a long time. Now, Anurag Basu is coming with a sequel to it.

I don’t think it is possible today. Now, you know everything about the other person by looking at their social media profile. But back in the day, you’d wait for the person to go out, then see what flavour of ice-cream they are having. Obviously life is all about change. That was old-school charm, but I don’t think today’s generation understands that.

I got married last year. For my wife’s [Aditi Sharma] birthday, I collected all the photographs that showed our journey—how we met and started going out—and made a collage. I put it on the walls with decorations to surprise her. She was under the impression that we might only go out for dinner. So, this took her by surprise.

We met through a common friend. There were no balloons or flowers, nothing lavish. My wife is definitely more romantic than me.

I prefer doing less but quality work, which makes my soul happy. I want to satisfy the hunger of the actor inside me. If I wanted, I could do a lot more work and earn more money, which is what everyone has been advising me to do, but I don’t see myself doing that. If I take on a role for the sake of it or do something that I don’t want to do, it will show. I won’t be able to do justice to it.

There is scope for more diversity. Sometimes, the scripts coming my way are [similar]. I would like to experiment more, which is not happening.

I have completed the second season of Mumbai Diaries 26/11. We shot it last year.

Mohit Raina made a surprise announcement on Saturday after revealing that he has tied the knot with his partner Aditi Sharma in presence of close family and friends. The actor took to Instagram to share the news about his wedding with fans, alongside pictures from the intimate marriage ceremony.

Mohit wrote, “Love recognises no barriers, it jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope. With that hope and the blessings of our parents we are no longer two, but one. Need all your love and blessing in this new journey. Aditi & Mohit. ”

Soon after he posted the wedding pictures, industry friends congratulated the couple on their nuptials. Karan Johar, Dia Mirza, Mrunal Thakur, Karishma Kotak and Shreya Dhanwanthary were among those who sent their best wishes to the newlyweds.

Mohit is known for his performances across mediums — TV, films and OTT. He became a household name after playing Lord Shiva in the TV show Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev. He has also been a part of shows such as Mahabharat and Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, apart from starring in the film Uri: The Surgical Strike and Kaafir.

The actor is known to keep a low-profile. A few years ago, he was rumoured to be dating Mouni Roy, but he did not admit to it. Meanwhile, not much is known about his wife Aditi, and Mohit did not respond to our calls or messages.