From a little girl to lady: Celeb fathers talk about their daughters

In a recent interview for a TV chat show, US President Barack Obama was quizzed about his elder daughter Malia’s first prom. When he was asked by the hosts if 15-year-old Malia had a date, the President quipped, “That’s classified information!” However, he did elaborate a little more on what he felt when he saw Malia all dolled up for her big dance. “The first time you see your daughter in heels, (it’s) a little bit jarring,” he admitted, adding, “(You realise) she’s lovely, she’s beautiful.”
Obama may be among the most important men in the world, but when it comes to his daughters, he’s just like any other dad. With Father’s Day a just a little over a week away, we spoke to some of our celebrity dads, about the moment they realised their little girl was all grown up, and got some very sweet answers:

ROHIT ROY
Rohit Roy and his actress wife Manasi Joshi made a conscious decision to cut down on the amount of work they took on because they didn’t want to miss out on their daughter’s growing up years. “There are so many actors who work all the time until one day, they realise that their child has grown up and they’ve missed out on all the special moments they could have spent together,” says Rohit, explaining his and Manasi’s decision to put their family first.

It’s only after his “little girl” has grown into a young lady that Rohit has put the focus back on his work. “My daughter is now 11-years-old and she’s so responsible. She manages very well on her own and doesn’t need us to do things for her. That’s what has made me realise that she’s all grown up, and now Manasi and I are both taking on more work than before,” says the actor-director.

SAIF ALI KHAN
When Sara Ali Khan posed on the cover of a glossy magazine in an Abu-Sandeep outfit a while ago, the world woke up to the fact that Saif Ali Khan’s little girl had grown into a lovely young woman. But for Saif, the moment came more recently, when he was introduced to her boyfriend. “I recently met one of Sara’s boyfriends and that’s when I felt strangely protective but not overtly so... and realised she is growing up,” the actor says. Saif feels this is an important moment for all parents, and one they need to be ready for. “Kids shouldn’t feel burdened by restrictions and parents should learn to let go; if you respect each other’s space then the relationship is enjoyable,” he says.

HITEN TEJWANI
The popular TV actor married his co-star Gauri Pradhan in 2004 and five years later, they welcomed twins Katya and Nevaan into their little family. Hiten says that becoming a father has by far, been the happiest moment of his life, and that his daughter Katya, has been the biggest blessing.

His “she’s-all-grown-up” moment? “It was on my birthday last year, and Katya made a greeting card for me,” says Hiten. “I found out later on, that she had waited for almost an hour after school to take help from her teacher to make the card... That was when I realised my daughter had grown up. Just to make this card for me, she waited back after class — although usually, she makes faces at the very mention of going to school. It makes me emotional every time I think of it.”

Hiten admits that for most parents, their children will always be little, and that it’s tough to admit that they won’t always stay that way.