Television Actor Nakuul Mehta on His Podcast 'The Indian Parent Pod' and Life After Becoming A Dad

Nakuul Mehta is not on set as he settles in for a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India — he’s in the middle of a forest in Goa, surrounded by the chirping of birds. It’s a far cry from the usual chaos of television studios and airport lounges he’s used to. For almost 13 years, the actor has lived out of suitcases, hopping continents for shoots and events.

But four years ago, everything changed — he became a dad.

“What surprised me in the initial days [of his son, Sufi, being born] — and this might sound very posh — but no one really cares about the father,” says Mehta. “It’s about the mother and child, as it should be, but it can be a pretty lonely journey for the father too.”

He embraced fatherhood in the pandemic, which did make for a lonelier journey, but also gave him time to really connect with his son. But then, the world opened up and he had to go back to work.

He recalls, “I went back to full-time work on television for Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. I was struggling between that and Never Kiss Your Best Friend, which I was shooting in London. Losing that connection [with Sufi] after [I had it] was hard.”

Once they wrapped up, he took a stand and picked projects he absolutely loved. And in the meantime, he went back to travelling, but with his wife [Jankee P Mehta] and son. “Mumbai keeps you wired, I feel like I’m in a hustle to survive ... So, we try to get closer to nature,” Mehta explains, taking a pause from the interview to say ‘hi’ to his son, who’s just woken up from his midday nap.

Shifting Destinations, Shifting Priorities

Before he became a father, Mehta wasn’t one to keep relaxation in mind while travelling. New York, once a favourite city to visit, is off the table for now. “It’s just too hectic for a four-year-old,” Mehta admits. Instead, the family has made eight trips to Goa — not to the bustling party strips, but to forest-fringed corners where nature reclaims the quiet. “You can rent a home and have a garden. Things you would want your child to grow up around.”

Their travel calendar now orbits around simplicity: long walks, local food, and immersive experiences over bustling itineraries. “We rarely stay in hotels. I do enough of that for work. Our idea of vacation is about meeting people, understanding local cultures, languages, textures,” he shares. That philosophy has taken them from the interiors of Rajasthan to snow-covered valleys in Kashmir, and even to the rugged landscapes of Ladakh — where Mehta recently completed a 10-day road trip with his own father.

“Becoming a father also gives one perspective about showing up as a son more dutifully,” Mehta says with a smile. “I’ve been taking out more time to hang out with my guy.”

The biggest shift, however, he says, is internal. “I’ve never been more professional, more patient, more in control of my emotions.”

That emotional fluency, he explains, has deepened not just his craft as an actor but also how he processes the world while travelling. And while they do so, he, along with Jankee, found themselves looking for honest conversations around parenting in India — and coming up short.

So, they started their own podcast — The Indian Parent Pod — not about their child, but about being parents. “We don’t shoot with Sufi. That’s a low-hanging fruit,” Mehta notes. “Our podcast is about learnings, mistakes, and triumphs.”

The couple also collaborates on brand work, but even there, the boundaries are firm. “If Sufi appears, it’s from personal, documented footage.”

Looking Ahead: Dreams of Winter Cabins

Despite all the changes, one dream persists: Every winter, he wants to somehow find himself working in the United Kingdom — ideally on a project that lets him spend time in the countryside around Christmas. It’s what he’s done now, for many years in a row.

It’s a romantic vision — a cabin in the woods, a gentle snowfall, quiet mornings with family. “I’ve shot in London so much over the years and it’s such a child-friendly place.”

As for safety and food while travelling, those have become part of the background music. “We do pack thoughtfully now,” he laughs. Snacks, food, the works. They can’t wing it, but haven’t stopped being adventurous. For Mehta, travel is no longer an escape from work or routine — it’s a return. A return to roots, to rhythm, to real connection. He smiles, as he signs off, saying, “A lot more thought goes in, we travel with khakhras now, since Sufi loves them, but that’s just life.”