Not without my father

Mumbai:

Karan Sharma:

 For me freedom is as important as my life. My father served the Indian Army for 28 years and hence I have seen defence life very closely. I recall my father going for border area duties in Rajasthan and keeping me safe with his friends’ family, while he was away. On his return, he used to bring sweets for me since I was very fond of them. He did his duty towards both his family and his nation perfectly. I am proud to be the son of an army man.

Nakuul Mehta:

 Freedom to me means having the freewill and choice to live my life in the manner I chose to, under the broader framework of a democratic country. Coming from armed forces background, where my father Pratap Mehta served the country for over 25 years in the navy and fought the Indo Pak war in 1971, I have grown up with a special reverence for our defence personnel and the sacrifice they make for the rest of us. My earliest memories of my dad being away on long sailing sorties were the letters he wrote to me inculcating in me a sense of discipline and responsibility towards our country.

Deepika Samson:

 I love the feeling of patriotism that we all are immersed in on Independence Day. There is a sense of excitement in the air as the day approaches. For me this day is special as my father is from the army background and I have heard great stories about Independence from him. It is a time when we all got together and celebrated the moment of freedom. I usually start the day by attending a flag-hoisting ceremony.

Gurmeet Chaudhary:

 Have you ever caught a bird and then let it fly again? The bounce in her flight is the true reflection of freedom. Freedom to me is to live, breathe and be yourself. My father Sitaram Chaudhary retired as a Subedar major from the Indian army. I used to admire his uniform, posture and attitude but feared his discipline. But that it what helped me stay focussed and undertake my journey to television and now films. He told me that I could do whatever I wanted to, unless I didn't cheat my country or do anything to shame it. My grandfather Junglee Chaudhary was a freedom fighter and I went to army school, so I have grown up with a daily dose of desh bhakti.

Siddhant Karnick:

 Freedom to me means living in a society where the only limitation is oneself. Every time I'm in a cantonment, travelling with my father Brigadier Mahesh N Karnick, jawans salute him and greet him saying Jai Hind. Civilians say it only on Republic day and Independence day, but for defense personnel, it's something they say 100 times a day while greeting each other - that I think is beautiful. For us freedom is something we celebrate just two days a year but army men, having lived in the extreme conditions that they do, enjoy life to the fullest and celebrate their freedom everyday. The amazing part is I feel most peaceful when I visit a cantonment. There is no aggression, no traffic, no honking and I love the contrast. Films, TV and media portray this stereotype of army men and instil in our minds, that they are always smoking a pipe, have big moustaches and have 5 am wakeup calls. The truth is they are fun-loving people and enjoy life to the fullest because they value it. Yes they are disciplined but that is part of the job.