NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Anushka shared candid insights into her approach to parenting with her husband, cricketer Virat Kohli. Now parents to 4-year-old Vamika and 15-month-old Akaay, the couple have consistently prioritised shared responsibilities, balanced parenting, and shielding their children from the glare of social media.Reflecting on the early influence of family upbringing, Anushka spoke about the importance of values and the home environment in shaping a child’s worldview.“Conditioning is the most important role in how we see the world. I come from a progressive background, so that will always be a part of our home. Love is the underlying factor in our home, and what’s important to us is that our child be respectful of people. You have to create that value structure. We don’t want to raise brats,” Anushka told Vogue.She also emphasised that raising children isn’t about dividing responsibilities along traditional gender lines but about working together as a cohesive unit.“We don’t see it as mum and dad duties, but as a family unit. For us, it’s important that our child be raised with a very balanced outlook. It is all about shared duties. I will be the primary caregiver, especially in the first few years, and that’s the reality. I am self-employed and I can decide when I am working if I do one or two films a year. In Virat’s case, he plays round the year. What becomes important is the time we spend together as a family.“Speaking about evolving societal norms, Anushka underlined the importance of setting the right example for children in a working household.“Times have changed. It’s important for children to look at their parents—they learn from you. And there is a sense of normalcy that both of us do work. Of course, one will have to manage things differently and more efficiently to work.”Firm in their stance on privacy, the couple has made a conscious choice to keep their children away from the spotlight and social media.
“We’ve thought about it a lot. We definitely do not want to raise a child in the public eye—we don’t plan on engaging our child in social media. I think it’s a decision your child should be able to take. No kid should be made to be more special than the other. It’s hard enough for adults to deal with it. It’s going to be difficult, but we intend to follow through.”On the unpredictable journey of parenthood, Anushka offered a reminder that there’s no manual to get it all right.“You have to learn as you go; you can’t pressurise yourself, but you have to be prepared because there will be curveballs.”Over the years, Anushka and Virat have been admired not only as public figures but also as parents who’ve remained intentional and grounded while raising their children out of the limelight.
