When it comes to parenting, many parents believe that a strict voice, repeated warnings and punishment are necessary to keep children on the right track. But filmmaker Rohit Shetty says he has taken a very different approach with his son.Speaking on a podcast with comedian Bharti Singh and writer Haarsh Limbachiyaa, Rohit opened up about his relationship with his son and revealed that he has never scolded him or even raised his voice at home. Bharti asked Rohit, “But sir, how are you as a father?”
28 Jul 2026 | 16:22
How do you teach children about money and financial responsibility?
Rohit replied, “I have never scolded my son. I have never even raised my voice at home. I have always told him, ‘If you ever make a mistake, just come and tell me.’ And that has worked for me.” For Rohit, the idea is simple: children will make mistakes. The important thing is whether they feel safe enough to tell their parents about them.
“I have never raised my voice at my child”
Rohit Shetty with his son Eshaan. (Instagram/@rohitshetty)
Rohit explained that his parenting approach has remained the same even when his work keeps him away from home for long periods. “Even if I am away shooting outdoors for 50 days and I tell him, ‘Don’t do this, yaar,’ he won’t do it. That is the kind of image I have at home. I have never raised my voice at my child,” he said.Rather than trying to control every decision his son makes, Rohit says he has given him the freedom to make choices. “He has been given the freedom to do whatever he want, but I have told him, ‘If you make a mistake, come and tell me. You are human, and humans will make mistakes. Just correct them.’”
The few rules Rohit does not compromise on
Freedom, however, does not mean having no boundaries. Rohit said there are certain things he has always made clear to his son. “But there are a few things I have always told him: ‘Remember, you carry your father’s name, so respect it. Respect women. Stay away from drugs. As for the rest, I will handle it.’”These are the boundaries he considers important, while leaving several other decisions to his son. One of those decisions is his future career. “As for what he wants to become, whether he wants to be an actor, director or work in films, I leave that decision to him,” he said.
“If we were selling clothes, he might have said…”
Bharti pointed out that because his son has watched him work since childhood, he may naturally want to enter the film industry. Rohit agreed. “Yes. If we were selling clothes, he might have said, ‘I also want to sell T-shirts.’ That is a profession too,” said Shetty.But he also acknowledged that entering the film industry comes with its own reality. “Ultimately, the audience decides whether they accept you or not.” His son, Rohit said, likes his films and feels proud when one of them succeeds. “He may not always say it, but I know he feels happy.”
When Rohit visits his son’s college
Rohit Shetty with his son Eshaan. (Instagram/@rohitshetty)
Bharti also joked that his son must feel proud when his friends know that he is Rohit Shetty’s son. Rohit said his son’s friends do know, and his presence at the college sometimes creates a funny situation. “Yes, his friends know.’” he said.He added that he still visits his son’s college occasionally. “I still visit his college sometimes, maybe once or twice a year. It has become like that because of my work and my image. It’s just the image people have of me.”
The parenting lesson: Make honesty safer than hiding
Rohit’s approach raises an important question for parents: What happens when children know they can tell you the truth without immediately being shouted at?A child who believes that every mistake will lead to anger may become good at hiding mistakes. A child who knows that the first response will be a conversation may be more likely to seek help. This does not mean parents should ignore bad behaviour or remove consequences. It means separating the mistake from the child.Instead of saying, “What is wrong with you? How could you do this?”, parents can try asking: “Tell me exactly what happened.” That one change can make a conversation less defensive and more honest.
5 practical ways parents can build this kind of trust
Make one promise: ‘You can always tell me first’Children should know that coming to a parent with a problem will not automatically make the situation worse. You can still discuss consequences, but make honesty the first priority.Don’t turn every mistake into judgementA bad decision does not make a child a bad person. Focus on what happened, why it happened and how it can be corrected.Give freedom with clear non-negotiablesChildren need boundaries, but parents do not have to control every choice. Decide which values are genuinely important, respect, safety, honesty, substance avoidance, kindness and give children more freedom around less important matters.Let consequences teach instead of anger doing the teachingIf a child makes a mistake, ask what can be done to fix it. Cleaning up a mess, apologising, correcting misinformation or rebuilding trust can teach responsibility more effectively than simply shouting.Don’t make your child responsible for your reputationRohit’s reminder about carrying his father’s name reflects his own circumstances. For most families, however, children do not need to feel responsible for protecting a parent’s social image. The more useful lesson is that your actions have consequences, so learn to stand by them and correct them.
