Showing posts with label Rajesh Khattar interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rajesh Khattar interview. Show all posts
I was a little apprehensive initially about being a father in my 50s-Rajesh Khattar
3:41 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; August 21, 2026)
If becoming a parent in your 20s or 30s comes with its share of questions, embracing fatherhood in your 50s can bring an entirely different set of concerns. Rajesh Khattar admits he was initially apprehensive about having a child at that stage, but son Yuvaan has since changed the way he looks at fatherhood.
Recounting what went through his mind before becoming a father, Rajesh says, “Initially, I was apprehensive about being a father in my 50s. But looking at my wife’s (Vandana Sajnani Khattar) intense desire to be a mother, I left it to God’s will, and it surely was His will that we had Yuvaan. I have always believed that each child is born with their own destiny. Still, I feared about Yuvaan’s childhood and future, especially when I was hospitalized due to COVID while he was barely 18 months old. But his mere presence in my life made me realize the futility of worrying.”
Age, he believes, should not dictate when one can embrace a new chapter. He says, “Age is just a number. You are as old as you feel. Actors around my age are still doing leads, romancing heroines, getting married, remarried, so there you are.”
The difference age has made to his approach to fatherhood is evident in how he responds to situations involving his seven-year-old son. Having experienced fatherhood earlier with Ishaan Khatter, he says, “I am reliving fatherhood with him now. Whether one is a young father or an older father, the love and affection for your child remain the same. But with age, one gains patience and wisdom to understand your child’s psyche. As a young father, I was more reactive, whereas now I understand that certain situations don’t demand a reaction. I am also aware of how children change and evolve through different phases of childhood.”
That perspective has also shaped the way he views parenting and a child’s journey. He says, “One has to realize that your children are not race horses, life is not a Derby, and you as a parent are not the jockey. There is no finishing line to be crossed. Children are individuals, and it is fascinating to see them blossom into their own during their teenage years and adulthood. All I want is to give Yuvaan the best I can for as long as I am around.”
People said that I was broke and that mere paas khaane ke paise nahi hain-Rajesh Khattar
8:07 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; June 12, 2021)
Actor Rajesh Khattar has been going through a difficult time. First, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was subsequently hospitalised. And just when he was recovering from it, came another shock — rumours of him going bankrupt. Ever since reports of Rajesh’s bankruptcy started doing the rounds, he has been inundated with calls inquiring about his financial woes.
Rajesh tells us, “I have been fending calls from friends who have been asking me whether I have hit a rough patch financially. Initially, I was amused by these reports, but they soon started affecting me.”
It all began when Rajesh’s wife, actress Vandana Sajnani, in an interview, said that they had exhausted their savings in the past two years owing to her frequent hospitalisation and the lockdown situation. He says, “It’s not that I haven’t suffered a financial setback, but hasn’t that happened with almost everyone because of the slowing down of work during the pandemic? Right from Vandana’s pregnancy to now, we have been doing the rounds of hospitals for the past two-and-a-half years. In fact, she was in the hospital even during the lockdown owing to postpartum depression.”
Rajesh says, “It was a statement made by Vandana taking into account the kind of money we have spent on medical and hospital bills in recent times. A few hours later, her statement was blown out of proportion and it went viral. People said that I was broke. Mere paas khaane ke paise nahi hain. Soon, I started getting messages from my relatives and others offering to help! Things went out of hand in no time,” rues Rajesh.
What upset him further was the fact that Shahid Kapoor (stepson) and Ishaan Khatter (son) were also dragged into it. He says, “That was in bad taste. They dragged them into it. We actors are accustomed to the occupational hazards of such baseless rumours circulating, but this was a bit much. God forbid, if I ever reach that stage, I have my family to support me. Everyone is going through a difficult time and being sensitive is the need of the hour.”
Rajesh, who returned to Mumbai from Delhi a few weeks ago, is still reeling from the effects of COVID-19. “I am still recuperating. It has been a tough period. I also lost my father in April this year. While it was reported that he died of Coronavirus, he suffered a cardiac arrest. Given the situation, I am grateful that I was able to give him a decent send-off. I lost count of how many times I must have broken down. Staying positive during this phase of life is a challenging task,” signs off the actor.
Social media has become an open defecation ground for trolls-Rajesh Khattar
8:53 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; November 19, 2017)
Ever since Karan Johar, in association with Zee Studios, announced his film Dhadak starring Janhvi and Ishaan, the filmmaker got trolled for nepotism. While Janhvi is Sridevi’s daughter, Ishaan is Shahid Kapoor’s half-brother. The Twitterati went all out to target the director for launching kids from the industry. Perturbed by the backlash, Ishaan’s father and actor Rajesh Khattar says, “Social media is great to reach out if you have something to convey or share, but unfortunately, has become an open defecation ground for trolls, where people want to dump their sh** on anyone they fancy.” Talking about his son he adds, “It’s not as if Karan was compelled to take Ishaan! He is going by the subject and what he wants to project. The story is about youngsters in the 18-21-year-old age bracket and he wanted actors with no image, which is why he chose them (Janhvi and Ishaan),” reasons Rajesh.
His contention is that 400 Hindi films are made every year, and on an average 80-100 films have newcomers, but the focus is only on the few people from the marquee like Karan Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala and Yash Raj Films. “When they launch newcomers, it is talked about, but it’s not that other newcomers are not getting breaks. And the ones who have it in them and in their destinies are coming up. Where did Rajkummar Rao come from. Or for that matter, now Vicky Kaushal is coming up,” he points out.
Taking on the nepotism charge, he says, “What was nepotism applicable in Shahid’s case? His parents — Pankaj Kapur and Neelima Azim — were not huge stars. He made his way up. Today, they are targetting Ishaan for being Shahid’s brother! When Shah Rukh Khan came in, where was the nepotism? But if his son Aryan will make his acting foray, they will say nepotism! Where will the buck stop?”
In any case, he adds, if nepotism existed, all the superstars’ kids should have been superstars! “We know that’s not the case. So, for all those who are crying hoarse, getting a break is only the first step. It’s the public who gives the final verdict,” he signs off.
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