Super Dads: Tollywood actors spending time with their kids

Times are changing. Gone are the days when a superstar would be unapproachable at home, too, having hardly any time to spend with his kids. Today, an actor, whether he is Shah Rukh Khan, Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun or Jr NTR, when at home, he is simply “daddy”.

“This is the best age when I can enjoy and with my son. He is too young to know many things and he does not even know that I am an actor,” says Allu Arjun, adding that when he comes home early in the evenings he ensures that he spends time with his son.

“I don’t go for shoots on Sundays. Earlier, I used to spend time with my friends but now I dedicate holidays to my son.” Recently, Jr NTR celebrated his son’s birthday in London. “He was shooting in the UK and he wanted to be with his son on his first birthday. So he flew down his son and wife to the UK,” says a source. The actor was also recently spotted with his son for his new film’s launch in Hyderabad.

Mahesh Babu, meanwhile, not only spends as much time as possible with his two kids, he even visits his son Gautam at school. “If I am not  shooting, I will be at home with my kids,” says Mahesh.

“He is quite clear with his producers before his film starts regarding his holidays. He takes the exact dates that Gautam is off from school… so it works out well for us. As for Sitara we don’t really work much with her dates yet as she is only in Kindergarten,” says Namrata, Mahesh’s wife.

The actor is quite the homebody and usually declines invites to parties and Page 3 events. “I always feel that home is the best place and I enjoy a lot with my kids,” he says.
When he was a kid, his father Krishna was a superstar and worked day and night. And Mahesh was mostly taken care of by his mother and brother. The actor thus wants to ensure that he spends as much time as he can with his children. He ensures that he is usually free when his kids are on holidays so that they can go on family vacations.

Is he involved in their day-to-day activities too? “No, that’s my job. He’s more of the good cop and I’m the bad cop – simply because he doesn’t get time. But when it comes to a decision to be made regarding them about something important he is always there,” says Namrata.

Actor Gopichand is another doting father. “Yes, there is a big difference between now and then. Since my son arrived, I eagerly wait for shooting to end in the evenings. I straightaway go home and play with him,” says Gopichand. “Even when I am shooting abroad, I go shopping for kids wear and toys,” he says.

Manchu Vishnu, too, can’t see beyond his daughters. “They are my life,” he says, adding, “I have to be with them when they sleep otherwise they don’t sleep at night. Sometimes if I am not shooting I drop them to school. It is important that as a father I should spend time with them,” he says. The stars also love feeding their kids. “Most of the times my wife looks after his food etc., but on some Sundays I will feed him. I enjoy it,” says Allu Arjun.