Amitabh Bachchan shared a heartwarming take on his bond with son Abhishek on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18. He said, "He began wearing my shoes long back, and however many shoes I had, all of them have reached him now." This transition showed how their relationship grew into a friendship.
"Bhai sahab, unhone... unhone bahut pehle hamare joote le liye the aur jitna jootha tha hamare paas sab unke paas pahunch gaya hai," Amitabh Bachchan quipped.
The latest episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, put Ramayana co-stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Ravi Dubey on the hot seat. In a moment of light-hearted banter, when Kapoor asked Bachchan about his bond with son Abhishek, the latter's witty reply left the audience in stitches.
"Sir, ek aisi quality hai jo aap mein aur Abhishek mein common hai, aur ek aisi quality jo completely different hai... kya woh hume bata sakte hain? Aur aap height nahi keh sakte, woh quality nahi hai" (Sir, can you tell us about a quality that you have in common with Abhishek, and a quality that is completely different from him? And you can't say height, that is not a quality).
"Bahut pehle humne suna tha ki agar pita ke joote putra pehenna shuru kar de, toh phir woh putra nahi hota, woh mitra ho jata hai... Bhai sahab, unhone... unhone bahut pehle hamare joote le liye the aur jitna joota tha hamare paas sab unke paas pahunch gaya hai" (We'd heard long ago that if a son starts wearing his father's shoes, then he transcends from a son to a friend. He began wearing my shoes long back, and however many shoes I had, all of them have reached him now)," came Bachchan's humorous reply.
When a son becomes a friend
Dr Rimpa Sarkar, psychologist and founder of Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, says that a father's relationship with his son naturally evolves as the child moves from boyhood into adulthood. In the early years, a son may look to his father for direction and approval, but as he grows, she says that he begins to seek greater autonomy and wants to be recognised as an individual with his own beliefs, choices and identity.
"For fathers, this transition can sometimes feel like a loss of closeness or influence, but it is actually an opportunity to build a more equal and meaningful relationship," she tells indianexpress.com.
According to her, strengthening the bond means moving from being the person who always guides to becoming someone who listens, respects differences, and remains emotionally available without needing to have all the answers. "Sons also need to know that they can disagree with their fathers, make mistakes and express vulnerability without losing their love or respect," she shares.
Dr Sarkar believes small moments of genuine connection, such as sharing experiences, having honest conversations and showing curiosity about each other's lives, can be more powerful than grand gestures in this regard.
Ultimately, she says that embracing a son as he grows into a man means allowing the relationship to mature too, from authority and dependence towards mutual respect, trust and companionship.