Imran Khan’s new role as dad

Imran Khan is every bit the geek of today and from the looks of it, his newfound fatherhood has far from affected that. One glance at his study and one is instantly taken in by an array of figurines. A massive 1990-piece Lego version of the Ewok village from Star Wars adorns one side of a shelf that also sees DeLorean from Back To The Future, a Spiderman bobblehead and a Batman statuette. Geeky men (like most new parents) are inclined towards temporarily lamenting the arrival of babies, because not too many people around them understand their passion for seemingly “childish” things like comic books and action figures. Almost on cue, Imran says, “I want Imra to be a cool girl you know; not just one who is into all those princess-y things.”

Fatherhood brought with it immeasurable joy but also a heady mix of sleeplessness and anxiety. When the excitement settled, and Imran had the time to put the frenzy around the baby in perspective, he realised that this was indeed that proverbial blessing in disguise. “I knew I’d be one of those who would constantly show people photos of my kid. I used to catch people and show them pictures of my cat, so it would’ve been a given in Imara’s case. But the one thing that took me by complete surprise in this whole fatherhood experience is the complete lack of resentment I thought I would feel. There’s always this thing about how you’ll have kids and they’d take over your lives. You feel you can’t go out or do thing as you please. You feel that that sense of freedom is being to be taken away. But surprisingly, I don’t feel that way at all, contrary to popular notion. You don’t feel like you’re being forced to do something. It becomes a natural choice. So if my friends go all, ‘Hey dude, we’re going to the bar to get a few beers.’ I find it perfectly comfortable and effortless to say ‘No I want to stay here and give her a bath’ or some such thing. It (parenthood) is a lot of hard work and can be frustrating, but somehow you don’t resent her or the new role you play.”

The right to choose is something that Imran guards fiercely. He points to a pile of 20-odd scripts while talking of how he’s spent a few months at home without actively working on any project. He’s used the time to connect with his then pregnant wife Avantika, travel and catch up on some P.G. Wodehouse literature. No surprise then that when it comes down to picking his favourite superhero, Imran is quick to name Batman. “I found him to be the most compelling character. He’s the only one who chose. Superman was born Superman, Spiderman was bitten; Iron Man underwent radiation of some sort. Batman made the choice to do this. And he doesn’t have a superpower of any sort. It is through sheer will that he turned himself into something more than human,” he says with the kind of intensity one would experience only in the company of a geek. As if to prove a point, he heads to a nearby shelf and brings out a #1 issue of Batman not another casual reprint, he warns — carefully wrapped in a plastic covering. He stumbled upon this priceless edition for a meagre Rs 24, knowing fully well that it would be worth lakhs of rupees in a collectors’ market. “I couldn’t believe my luck! I don’t read this copy now; it’s for preservation. I bought a trade paperback a few years ago of the same comic and I read that. The paper is different, therefore the colour is different. That alters the experience. But I’d rather make sure nothing happens to this rare find,” says the Christopher Nolan-worshipping actor, proudly.

While he maintains that most of his figurines have been gifted to him by those close to him, the actor spares no money or effort to track down books that have touched him at some point in his life. “I had read Gerald Durrell’s only fictional book The Mockery Bird when I was in school. At the time that I had read it, it was the funniest thing I had ever read. After that I just couldn’t find it. I spent 10 years looking for it and in that duration I would’ve visited so many bookstores, asking them to order it for me. I finally found it on a website 4-5 months ago and bought it. It took two months to reach me via Royal Mail but the wait has been worth it. Now as I re-read it, it’s still as funny as I remember it being.”

Comedy is a natural literary and film choice for the actor. Admitting that it is incredibly difficult to write a comedy, Imran, who loves his share of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, feels he’s reached a stage when he needs things to be light-hearted during his free time. When he’s not enjoying a good chuckle, Imran is exchanging fatherhood notes with other filmi dads. Abhishek Bachchan, for instance, has recommended a particular international brand of clothing for kids. “He says it is value for money, has good fabrics and gives one a variety to choose from. Who would’ve thought I would be discussing kiddie shopping with Abhishek Bachchan!” he laughs. What was the thing about babies changing our lives, again? The Force is definitely strong in this one.