Ronit Roy: My eldest daughter is 28 and lives with her mother

A still from Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain

Walking the tightrope between his duty to the family and staying true to the love of his life, Ronit Roy's character Rohit from ALTBalaji's hit show ­ - Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain - is complex, to say the least. Though it's labelled as his most challenging on-screen work, the actor tells mid-day he never quite found the job tough.

"I don't want to sound condescending or pompous, but I can't be dishonest. This wasn't challenging. I am at that stage in my life where I have seen it all," says Roy, adding that he probably can empathise with the role as it hits close to home. "My ex-wife and I separated when my daughter [Ona] was young. She is now 28 and lives with her mother in another country. I have seen up close what a child goes through in the absence of one parent." The actor has since married Neelam Roy and has two children.

The script, thus, makes him reconnect with an integral chapter of his life - one that finds its outlet under the harsh glare of arc lights. "The pain is not locked away, it does not require revisiting. I don't need to remind myself about my eldest daughter; she is always on my mind. That she stays away is a harsh truth of my life. This has happened so way back in the past that there is no way to correct it. I have stories of her embedded in my mind - when she was six, she would say that every time she saw an airplane fly, she thought I was in it. Those words never left me. You can call it my failure as a father, but I don't fault-find anymore. The pain has transformed into a realisation that this is how it is meant to be. I channelised this experience into my craft."

The second season of Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain that launched last week explores Rohit's relationship with his young daughter post a divorce, besides the changing dynamics with the women in his life - played by Gurdeep Kohli and Mona Singh. He credits producer Ekta Kapoor for the show's success. "Balaji is like family to me. I would do anything for Ekta. She is responsible for making me the star I am. Whenever she is excited by a show, it has done well. Ekta likes her money, but she likes good work more. Her passion makes her the visionary that she is."

A frequent movie star as well, Roy was last seen in Thugs of Hindostan (2018). Though disappointed by the flak it received, he doesn't regret greenlighting the film. "I am emotional and attached to people. I knew Viktor [Acharya, director] and the bridge with Yash Raj was built through this film. I expect commercial success, but relationships matter more to me. Now, I am doing Shamshera with them."

Also Read: Exclusive - Mona Singh on extramarital affairs: The lady shouldn't be blamed

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