Randeep Hooda: The Family Man

A rainy morning in Mumbai catches actor Randeep Hooda savouring the season with new happiness. Having won the National Film Award for Best Debut Director for his biographical historical drama Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, the Bollywood star currently has his hands full with his role in the upcoming Vithabai Narayangaonkar biopic, Eetha. But at home, you’ll find him doing what he loves best. And it isn’t acting. The actor-filmmaker who welcomed daughter Nyomica this March with his wife, actor Lin Laishram, starts the day amid cheerful gurgles, the occasional cranky mood, and his indispensable cup of java—a ritual he won’t swap for anything else.

Fatherhood looks good on the suave star. Having slipped into the skins of so many characters—from his debut as a modern young man in Mira Nair's family drama, to gritty gangsters and law enforcement officers and a notorious serial killer—this one as dad and husband, is his most effortless, yet. Work drives the award-winning actor, but family is where the edges soften.

In conversation with Manifest, Randeep Hooda opens up about the transformative power of family, the meditative pull of horseback riding, and what he would be if his craft hadn’t chosen him.

Manifest (M): How does the day start for you?

Randeep Hooda (RH):

My day usually begins with saying hi to my little one—Lin’s at yoga, and the baby’s hungry by the time she’s back, so I get up with her being a bit cranky and mollycoddle her. There’s green tea, then coffee before the gym, which I try to finish quickly. Afternoons to late evenings are work, meetings, and writing. Then it’s home, and everything revolves around Nyomica’s routine—bath, sleep, play. I love taking her for a pram walk downstairs, which she enjoys for exactly 25 minutes. She’s already drawn to the swing, plants, trees, and flowers, which is so heartening to see.

M: How has becoming a dad changed your perspective towards life? Are there different happiness goals now?

RH: It's getting there. I was always reflective, but mostly about acting jobs. Now I think more about what I’ll leave for Nyomica, how can I ensure her long-term security, and what should I do to maintain my health so I can be there longer to support and nurture her?. I don’t have a job I have to turn up to every day, so I’m trying to embrace a slower life. Eventually, I wish to move out of Mumbai, to a place where she can grow up in nature rather than on apartment floors.

M: Are you a gym junkie or an outdoor runner? How do you track your fitness journey?

RH: Gym junkie, definitely. I’ve been advised to wear a fitness watch many times, but I can’t get used to wearing accessories—maybe because so often you’re trying to believe you’re somebody else, someone who wouldn’t be wearing one. But it’s a good tool; you should have a fitness tracker, especially for your vitals these days post-Covid. I will be getting one soon.

M: Tell us about your favourite wedding memory.

RH: Well, you usually go to the girl’s house to get married in her culture, and when I did, I discovered a tradition, which was quite unique. I was told I was the hero of the day and had to be very still. I made a real good effort to be that way, all through the entire wedding. My wife was not supposed to smile, but she ended up giggling. As for me, I was a good groom.

M: What have you learned from Lin that has made you a better partner and perhaps a better person? 

RH: Communication and patience. She’s quite composed, however, I have a habit of internalising and not communicating properly. I kind of shut myself out sometimes. That has changed for the better.

M: Do you and Lin often travel together? Have you travelled with Nyomica yet?

RH: Not as often as she would like to, but yes, we do. We both enjoy going to the jungles to experience safaris, wildlife, and nature. But Nyomica likes to sleep in the safari vehicle, too (laughs). We did go to Rohtak very briefly and later travelled to Manipur with her for the Annaprashan ceremony. So, it was our one big trip together recently. But a dream holiday for me would be in a quiet place with my wife, parents, siblings, all the children, and my friends.

M: M: How do you both continue to grow as individuals and as a couple after becoming parents?  

RH: With the baby coming along, acting jobs obviously become very hard to manage. We tried a lot to have Nyomica, and now that we finally did, Lin’s life has shifted more into being a mother than anything else. But she is a fantastic cook, and I encourage her to have her own life, her own pursuits, and her own ambitions. As a couple, we aspire to grow, evolve, and thrive together.

M: On a weekend, would it be a night out or night in for you both? 

RH: The baby’s only four-and-a-half months old, so we can’t go out much these days. But we try to make the most of our weekends. We watch a movie every now and then, and that’s about it at home. There’s a routine Lin follows, which I kind of hover around, but not really follow.

M: Tell us about Veer Savarkar, for which you won Best Debut Director and Best Actor Critics’ awards? How did you prepare for it?

RH: I thought it was a punishment to begin with, but I quite enjoyed the process of writing, shooting, and production. After the movie, I had to deal with censors, prove my sources, and fight for every cut. I told myself I’d never direct again. But soon you want to do it again, because directing is the last dictatorship left—it’s all the arts coming together, versus acting, which is individualistic. I prepped mostly as an actor first—read about him and that era’s history, and went through interviews. I was struck by how the armed revolution’s contribution to independence has been summed up in a couple of paragraphs. When the script wasn’t ready, I co-wrote it, and eventually became the director.

M: What drives your choices as an actor today? 

RH: I feel the most exciting thing to do is to take on something that you’ve not done before. The fear of failing at it makes overcoming it a great sense of victory, one you don’t realise until it’s over. I like roles demanding new accents, body language, rather than playing myself—it’s more interesting for me and for audiences. I haven’t paid much attention to production houses throughout my career, though those things matter for reaching wider audiences. Still, if something’s interesting, nothing else matters..

M: Any role that you feel has transformed you as both an actor and a person? 

RH: Every role teaches you something crucial. As for favourites, I tend to identify with parts of myself in what I play—in Sarabjit, I was like a boy in a hostel whose parents never showed up on Parents’ Day. Savarkar made me think deeply about history, perspectives, and the political scenario, then and now. It also made me a director, writer, and a producer.

M: There’s a remarkable depth to your performances. Is that central to your process as an actor? 

RH: I have often been told that I play intense characters, but I don’t necessarily see it that way. For me, it’s about being completely immersed in the process; that’s the thrill of it. Otherwise, why turn up on set at all? It’s about creating that imaginary world around you and staying in it, at least till the shoot is on. That’s what really gets to me—it’s one of the biggest pleasures of being an actor.

M: Your love for horses is known. What is it about riding that keeps making you go back to it? 

RH: I had a severe accident and broke both knees in 2023—one’s been operated on, one’s still pending, so I can’t ride too much or do competitive show jumping for now. I can’t sit and meditate—the only way I truly can is on horseback, because that’s when I am not thinking of anything else.

M: Have you intentionally chosen to step away from the spotlight and why? 

RH: I’ve just not been present in places scrutinised by cameras and reels. I meet people—I’m not solitary or anti-social. But as an artist, you need time to be by yourself to introspect and reflect, in order to create meaningful work that has an impact.

M: If you had never become an actor, what do you imagine your life would look like?  

RH: I would be a farmer since I love nature. As I am growing older, I am becoming more and more inclined towards the occupation of my ancestors.

M: What are you manifesting in 2026?

RH: A home of my own by the lake amidst the jungle, some good roles I can sink my teeth into, and to finish my screenplays.