Shakti Anand on playing a father in Mahadev & Sons; says 'The hardest part of parenting is not protecting your children from every fall, but allowing them few mistakes'

Seasoned actor Shakti Anand is currently seen playing the role of a father in television's newest offering 'Mahadev & Sons'. Set in Hardoi, the story traces Mahadev’s rise from an orphan working as a servant in a wealthy family to becoming a respected head of his own household. Playing the lead role, Shakti Anand talks about showing Mahadev as a caring father while also touching upon issues of authority, parenting, and emotional scars from the past.

Talking about his character in the show, Shakti shared, "Mahadev is not the conventional father we've seen on television. He has earned everything the hard way through labour, rejection, and patience. Even after becoming successful, he still works alongside his men because for him, respect comes from effort, not titles. Being born without a surname left a deep scar on him. Moreover, the family members of the Bajpai household that embraced him as one of their own in his days as a servant, resents him after he marries his master's daughter. These wounds shape the way he runs his family, forbidding love marriage. He loves his children, but he is also afraid of history repeating itself. His rules come from that fear, not from cruelty. He is a caring husband, a proud father, and someone who believes tradition keeps a family united. But he can't loosen his grip on the rules. That contradiction makes him human."

Further in the interview, the actor shared what drew him to 'Mahadev & Sons' and how it is different from other family dramas, "What appealed to me most was how the story connects with every generation. Unlike many family dramas that clearly divide characters into right and wrong, this one shows situations where everyone feels justified in their actions. Mahadev is not shown as a stereotypical strict father; his behaviour is shaped by past pain, and his rules come from fear mixed with deep love for his family. Another strong aspect is how it highlights social and class differences—the two rival households facing each other, Mahadev’s journey from servant to businessman, and the importance given to family names and status," he said.

Shakti, who has been a versatile actor and has played different roles during his career, revealed how he prepared to portray a character who faced discrimination in life, "I drew from observing real life. We all know men who've climbed up from nothing and carry that journey in everything they do - the way they speak, their caution around wealth, their need for respect. For Mahadev, the humiliation of being a servant, of not having a surname, of being told he wasn't good enough - that never leaves him. Even when he's successful, there's a part of him that's still that young man being looked down upon. I tried to bring that duality - the strength he's built and the wound that still hasn’t healed. That tension between who he was and who he's become is what makes him human."

Shakti, who is a father of a 13-year-old daughter in real-life, revealed if playing Mahadev made him introspect about parenting, he said, "Art has always influenced the way we look at life and culture; and ultimately, every great piece of art should spark introspection. Having said that, I never moralise my characters. I don’t judge Mahadev. I empathise with him. I understand the kind of father he is and the place his fears come from, even though I don’t agree with his methods. Playing Mahadev did make me think about how love can sometimes turn into control without us even realising it. My own parenting style is different, but what this journey reflects is something every parent struggles with. The hardest part of parenting is not protecting your children from every fall, but allowing them the freedom to make a few mistakes and learn from them. If Mahadev were my friend or a relative in real life, I would tell him to loosen his grip a little and to let his children figure some things out on their own."