Having found his lakshya

Having found his lakshya
Tusshar Kapoor on being Bollywood’s most famous single father and how it has changed him.

It’s 6pm when I step into Krishna, superstar Jeetendra’s Juhu bungalow. The Kapoor household, usually quiet at this hour, is now abuzz with life courtesy its latest entrant, Laksshya Kapoor, Tusshar’s six-month-old son. And abundant signs point to this new star in the Kapoor khandaan — a stroller parked within the premises, domestic help collecting toys of every shape and size scattered across the living room. Within minutes, Tusshar Kapoor strides in with his son. He blames the nip in the air for Laksshya’s white beanie and matching mittens. “Not taking chances with him catching a cold,’’ the actor smiles. As he settles down with his son firmly ensconced in his lap, a domestic help offers to take charge of the baby, but Tusshar politely turns down her offer. “He’s normally with me from four to seven in the evenings.’’ Pointing at a hard cover copy of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr Mark Weissbluth, he says, “That’s what I’m reading. Bringing up Laksshya is my only focus.’’

Tusshar’s mind trails back a few years, as he recollects the time when he shared his plans to adopt a child with his family. “So when I did turn 40 on November 20 this year and got their blessings, I felt secure. There was a little apprehension before actually implementing my decision of having a baby through IVF and surrogacy. But that disappeared as I started preparing for the most challenging role in life. Now, I realise this little fellow sitting on my lap is the biggest joy I have ever experienced in all these 40 years,” he says with pride.

Dabbling in diapers

At this point, Laksshya seems a bit restless and Tusshar excuses himself to tuck his little one to bed. He returns soon after completing his new parental duties. “Earlier, everything was about me. I would fuss over inconsequential things. Now, it is all about my son.’’ Taking us through Laksshya’s schedule, which starts at 7am, Tusshar shares that he tries being around from the very moment his son wakes up. “I know everything from his feed to his poop schedule by heart. I also take him to the park or for a drive between four and seven in the evening. Once back, it is time for his feed and then he’s off to sleep.” Laksshya, we learn, isn’t a moody baby, but when he does throw a fit on the odd occasion, his father has a trick up his sleeve: “The moment I whisper into his ears, ‘Laksshya sleep for two hours. When you wake up, I will take you ghoomi-ghoomi (for an outing)’, he falls asleep. I think his subconscious mind absorbs whatever I say. This has not ceased to amaze me.” The actor, who is now accustomed to changing his son’s diapers, feels that his boy can be a handful at times. “He’s a sorted boy with some nakhras. For example, he wants to change the activities around him every half hour, so I plan his schedule accordingly. Whether it is taking him along to the temple or the club, I have to plan ahead.’’ The actor’s new life as a single father allows him to relate to a life lesson shared once by friend Karisma Kapoor told him once. “She said, ‘Once you have kids, you leave everything else behind and focus only on bringing up your children right’. Now I understand fully well what Karisma meant because today, everything I do is about Laksshya.’’

A lot more than child’s play

Clapping his hands, he adds, “I am reliving my own childhood with him. When I sit on Laksshya’s play mat and he’s having his tummy time (lying on his tummy), I keep myself amused with his toys,” says the actor, who credits his son for his newlyacquired planning skills. “Earlier, my time management was pathetic. Since, I was the centre of my own universe, I had a lot of time to waste. Now, I don’t have that privilege. I plan my meals, watch a movie or do anything only after my son has fallen asleep. Earlier, I would drag my feet around the house. Now, if I have an event the next day, I sort out my wardrobe on the previous evening,” he adds. The actor also reflects on when his father Jeetendra was a reigning superstar and could barely attribute much time for the family. “Honestly, he is oblivious to what it’s like to queue up for school admissions,” shares Laksshya’s father, who has already shortlisted schools for his son, who turned six months old on December 1. “When Ekta and I were growing up, we barely saw our father because he was such a busy actor. The conventional family construct, where both parents are around, is great. But I think it is most important that a child grows up in an atmosphere of love and care. My parents are better grandparents than they were parents because back then, things were different. Now each of us has taken it upon ourselves to ‘weave some Laksshya time’ into our lives.’’

Tusshar, who starts shooting Golmaal 4 in January, plans to take Laksshya along “at least for a couple of hours each day”. “I am not shy about being a single father and I’m confident that when he is old enough to understand, I will be able to chat with him and make him understand how things are different as far as he is concerned. I will be able to tell him that he doesn’t have a mother around him, but he has the rest of us. I think the degree of honesty and transparency we have maintained about Laksshya is good for his psychology,” says Tusshar, as he goes back to play the most important role for him at the moment.