‘Humare time me thappad, belan pad jata tha…but wo gaya zamana’: Hiten Tejwani on parenting teenagers, micro-dramas and more

Find the edited excerpts below:

Q: I have to say, you look as fit as a 20-year-old. Your fitness has barely changed. What’s your secret?

Hiten Tejwani: (laughs) I just decided at 20 that I didn’t want to grow any older! But honestly, my lifestyle has stayed consistent. My fitness mantra is simple—work out whenever you get the time and eat what truly suits your body.

Over time, you understand what works for you and what doesn’t. You are a better judge of your body. Some foods make you feel bloated instantly, and some keep you light and energetic. I’ve followed the same diet for almost 25 years now because I know it suits me.

Our profession doesn’t always allow us to work out daily, so what you eat becomes even more important. You can’t indulge too much. Luckily, I’m not a foodie.

Q: Really? You are not a foodie at all?

Hiten Tejwani: Yeah! I know it becomes difficult for people who are foodies…(to maintain a disciplined lifestyle).  On set, everyone’s eating samosas and vada pav for breakfast, and I’m like I have already eaten my millet roti and omelette, ye aap hi khao ye mai nahi kha sakta (I can’t eat this). It’s not that I don’t like those foods—I do—but if I eat that and don’t work out, it will show on my body. So I’d rather avoid it.

Of course, if there’s absolutely no option or it’s a cheat day, I’ll have a sandwich or vada pav. But even then, I prefer sourdough bread. I don’t remember the last time I ate normal bread. Even when I’m travelling, and they serve a sandwich on a flight, if I’m very hungry, I still eat only half of it.

Hiten Tejwani likes to do weight excercises or dips whenever he gets time (Image: Instagram/Hiten Tejwani)

Q: So what does a typical day of eating look like for you?

Hiten Tejwani: I have a fixed breakfast of millet roti. It can be bajra, jowar, rajgira, nachni, or any other millet. And then, of course, eggs are there. Sometimes I’ll have an omelette–but mostly egg whites and maybe one yolk. I am not saying that the yolk is bad for health, but, like I said, we should have what suits our body, and this is what suits me.

That keeps me full till lunch, which is usually brown rice, some chicken, dal, and one sabzi. Salads are always there.

Also, I don’t drink regular milk tea—only green tea. I have one black coffee a day, sometimes two if I’m very sleepy, but never after 5 or 6 pm because it affects sleep.

Q: Morning routines are trending everywhere. Do you follow one? Any special drinks?

Hiten Tejwani: I wake up and drink a full bottle of water kept beside my bed—come what may, I always keep it there. That’s non-negotiable. I used to be one of those people who needed tea first thing in the morning. My mom would give me tea even before I opened my eyes; I’d sip it and only then start my day. But not anymore.

Q: Hiten, you earlier mentioned that your profession doesn’t always allow you to work out daily. With such a packed shooting schedule, how do you manage workouts?

Hiten Tejwani: I mostly do bodyweight exercises. If I get time, I hit the gym and lift weights. Otherwise, dips and push-ups work wonders for me. If you can do 200–300 dips a day, you’re sorted; that’s a full-body workout.

But since I don’t indulge, I can do away with that. But I don’t know about everyone else. Every body type is different. Some people need more walking, some need core work. You have to understand your own body. For me, dips work wonders. If I just do push-ups, everything just pumps up.

Q: Well, the result is visible!

Hiten Tejwani: Thank you! Fitness is part of our profession. I believe that if you take care of your body, it also shows how dedicated you are. When you take your body seriously, people notice. Sometimes, half the job is done because you already look the part. If I am out of shape, people would think that I look a little bit off and start offering me a mama, chacha or elder brother type role. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I prefer doing what I am doing.

“I belive in ‘the wife is always right'”: Hiten Tejwani (Image: Instagram/Hiten Tejwani)

Q: We live in a world full of digital noise—endless notifications, messages, social media updates, e-mails and more. I can only imagine what it must be like for you. How do you stay grounded?

Hiten Tejwani: I don’t touch my phone for the first one-and-a-half to two hours after waking up. Unless someone calls, I won’t know what messages have come in. I check them only when I’m on my way, so if there’s a schedule change or delay, I usually find out only if someone calls before I leave. Of course, you do have to make some time to check your phone as well, because there might be an important notification or message.

After reaching the set, it’s all about work—the script and the character. During lunch, I check my phone, speak to Gauri, and then pick it up again only after pack-up. Once I reach home, I finish dinner, set my alarm, go through a few things, read a little, and then keep the phone aside for the night and sleep. You have to assign a specific time for the phone; otherwise, it takes over your life.

Q: So no doom-scrolling?

Hiten Tejwani: (smiles) It’s not that I have not done it, but I don’t have the time to doomscroll for long. I mostly follow pages around acting, theatre…my whole Instagram is all about that. There are a lot of things that are very interesting and will help me with my craft. So, in a way, this is kind of an investment for me. I am not wasting time on checking somebody’s social media, so what’s the harm?

Q: It’s wonderful to hear that you have curated your algorithm like an acting school! Speaking of social media, fans loved your recent videos with Gauri. You two have been together for more than 22 years now. What’s the secret to such a strong relationship?

Tejwani: We both understand each other and have accepted each other as we are. She knows that once I take out any shirt from the cupboard, I am going to ruin the whole cupboard. (laughs)  And she knows that she has to make it…and that this will never change.

Secondly, trust is very important. Luckily, we are in the same industry and know the demands of our work–timing-wise, the way we work, and the kind of people we meet every day. So there’s an understanding between us. I don’t know if we did not have the same background, ye same understanding hoti ya nahi (if we would still share the same understanding). But since she is from the same background, she understands and trusts me. She knows that when I am not shooting, where I can be found–I have fixed spots.

Hiten Tejwani says that he plays the good cop in parenthood (Image: Instagram/Hiten Tejwani)

Q: That’s lovely to hear! You and Gauri are also parents to two wonderful teens. How is it going? Do you believe in the traditional thappad maro parenting style, or are you more gentle?

Hiten Tejwani: We play good cop, bad cop—I’m the soft one! But no hitting or strict old-school discipline. In today’s time, thappad wappad wala itna hai nahi. Humare time me thappad, belan pad jata tha…but wo gaya zamana (Nowadays, there is no slapping. In our time, we used to get slapped, hit with a rolling pin…That is a thing of the past). But this generation is absolutely different. You have to talk, explain, and give them space to learn. When they feel that what we are saying is right, only then do they agree with us, and it’s fair. Gauri handles that beautifully. We make sure at least one parent is always around for the kids.

Q: What were your teen years like? And if you could go back and give advice to your younger self, what would you say?

Hiten Tejwani: I was lucky. My mother was like a friend and gave me the freedom to choose my path. I tried CA, didn’t feel it, and then theatre happened. But when I was doing theatre, there was no money in it and being the eldest son, my family had a few expectations. When they came to my first play and watched me on stage, they were very relieved and said do whatever you want to do. They were happy because I was doing what I loved.

Q. And the rest is history! Hiten you have been in the industry for so long and have seen it change. From television to OTT and now micro-dramas, you have been a part of this evolution. How do you see this shift? Do you think micro-dramas are the next big thing?

Hiten Tejwani: First of all, you have to understand that micro-drama is made for the phone and caters to everyone who wants to watch content on their phones. It’s a new format, and though it has been around for about one and a half years, it is definitely here to stay.

I enjoy the process because I am working on something relevant today, and as an actor, I have to stay relevant. There is a challenge in doing this, and I like to challenge myself to see whether I can do it or not.

The process is largely the same—you shoot every day, then it goes for editing, music, and dialogue. The only difference is that the format is shorter. It is a great way to connect with people, and audiences are clearly enjoying it, which is why so many micro-dramas are being made.

I started with Aakhri Rasta on Quick TV, and now I am doing Kismat Ke Dhaage, again on the same platform. Earlier, there was some confusion around the format, but now everyone is more prepared and understands the timelines better. The strict deadlines make the work even more interesting.

Q: Can you tell us more about your latest micro-drama on QuickTV?

Hiten Tejwani: This is a micro-drama on Quick TV called Kismat Ke Dhaage. Of course, it stars me, and there are others also. I would not say it is a completely different world, but yes, it is a kind of world that you would believe in.

We talk about a huge empire, then coming down to the ground and rising again, which I think everybody wants to watch. In a way, many of us are in situations where we feel down in life, and the question is how we come back. So it also gives a message that it is possible to rise again—you only have to make up your mind.

Q: You’ve often spoken about your theatre background. What would you say to young actors who love theatre but worry about financial stability?

Hiten Tejwani: If you are doing theatre, don’t think about anything else–just think about your craft. What theatre gives will prepare you so well for your craft. I am telling you right away that it will not give you money. Yes, there are big-scale theatre productions and broadways happening, that pay well, but you might not get paid at all at times–or even get a role. But if you’re planning to get into this, then take it as an experience. Because when we are performing for television or micro-dramas, we get cuts and retakes. You can do the scene again. But in theatre, there is only one take. So it prepares you for life, which also has just one take. So, give your best!

 

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Q: That’s really inspiring. This conversation would be incomplete without speaking about  Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. You recently appeared on the show after decades. What was it like?

Hiten Tejwani: Honestly, it never felt like I had ever left. When I met Smriti [Irani] and everyone else on the set again, it felt like we just picked up from where we had paused–as if the story was ongoing. We were so happy, and it was a great feeling.

Q: What was it like working with Smriti again after so many years? You both started your careers around the same time, then followed different paths?

Hiten Tejwani: Well, as I told you, we just picked up from where we had left. It never felt like we had gone away anywhere. She is the same on the set, always enjoying and performing. I am sure everybody is watching her and how brilliant she is. So for her, it is like she will just read the scene, and she is just there.

And if there is something we have to do, we discuss like the old times—you know, “What do you think?”—and then we go ahead and try it with the director and everybody. It is like a combined effort. Anything that is a combined team effort comes across as if there is a bond. You don’t have to create it; otherwise, it seems mechanical and fake. But the bond is real.

Earlier also, we never had to try very hard–okay, I will do this, you do that, I will keep my head on your lap– it just happens in the moment, naturally.