Sunday, May 13, 2012
You’re my everything, Mummy: Ruslaan Mumtaz
Published: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 14:52 IST | Updated: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 14:53 IST By L Romal M Singh | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA
I grew up in a hostel in Panchgani, so there wasn’t an overpowering influence of my mother’s acting career, but when she did come visit me, which was as often as she could, I suddenly realised what a big deal being an actor was. The whole school would be running behind her for her autograph and that made me swell up with pride,” opens Ruslaan Mumtaz as we catch up with him on the eve of Mother’s Day.
Ruslaan Mumtaz has a lot to be thankful for, near-perfect good looks, a budding career in Bollywood, several fans across the country, including our city of Bangalore and a family that’s stayed together and continues to be adorably happy.
“As a child, my first memories of mummy as an actress were these scenes I vividly remember from Khatron Ke Khiladi, where ma was the heroine opposite Dharmendra — those scenes still play in my mind, whenever I think of her as an actress. But she never let it get to me. I was never the quintessential star-kid,” Ruslaan reminisces.
We prod further and ask Ruslaan to describe how his childhood was. “I was spoilt, I agree. Thoroughly spoilt, and I always fought with my mom. Imagine how horrible I was. I was a non-veg lover and refused to eat anything the cook prepared. My mother had to cook different dishes for my lunch and dinner, as I would refuse to eat the same thing and then leave for work. She would wake up by 5am every morning and cook, look after the house and then leave for her shoots. She drove herself there everyday and here I am, half her age, being driven around Mumbai by a driver! She’s a goddess and I can never thank her enough for all that she’s done. Can you imagine how amazing a woman she is, to have never even once complained about all these extra duties weighed down upon her?” Ruslaan says. “But I am now wiser, thank god and so I have tried to make up for all my shaitaani as I was growing up,” he adds.
So has mummy been the best influence yet, we ask and pat comes the reply, “without comparison! If I had a child like me, I am sure I am going to be super strict with him and force him to eat what’s served (laughs)… you know, as kids, we’re hardly ever aware of what our parents go through for all of us, and we never give them credit. I’d like to balance that account and do as much for my mom as she’s done for me. Not because this is some trade-off… but more because she deserves it and so much more.”
With just a few minutes left, we quickly ask Ruslaan of what his message to his mommy dearest would be this Mother’s Day and he indulges us.
“Two years ago, I forgot to wish my mummy on Mother’s Day and everyone else in the world seemed to have remembered. My mom was super-pissed with me and ever since I have had a fear of missing the occasion. Two days ago also I was suddenly startled when someone misled me to believe that I had missed it again, thankfully I hadn’t! Since then, I’ve been asking ma as to what she’d like to do and she never really tells me what she wants. I’m too frightened to buy her anything as I’m sure she’ll tell me either I have been cheated or that she could have bought it for cheaper and so I am just going to take her out for a day at the mall. Make her choose her own stuff, buy it for her and do something else to spend the day together with her. I’m sure that will make her happy, mom’s are after all, the easiest to please,” Ruslaan concludes.
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