Father's Day: 'His discipline shaped me, his presence grounded me,' says Smriti Kalra on her army dad

Time of India

10 hours ago

Smriti Kalra may be known for her nuanced performances on screen, but behind her grounded presence lies the steady influence of her father — a former Indian Army officer. This Father's Day, Smriti opens up about the values he's instilled in her, the quiet traditions they share, and how their bond has only grown richer with time.
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One of her fondest memories with her father is built around an unusual ritual. She says, 'Growing up — and even now — I've always been the kind of person who ends up with little injuries. Every time I had to get an injection or stitches, my father would take me out for ice cream afterward. That became our thing. Just recently, I had to take six rabies shots because I work closely with street animals, and once again, he treated me to ice cream.
It's a simple gesture, but it always made me feel better.'
Discipline, she says, wasn't just part of army life — it was part of everyday life. She says, 'I'm not sure if it's the army or just the Kalra genes, but discipline runs deep in our family. My grandmother used to wake up at 4 AM, and now my father, who's turning 71, does the same — he studies Sanskrit and recites the Bhagavad Gita every morning. One thing he always tells me is to write down three things I want to do the next day before going to bed.
That way, you wake up with purpose and direction.'
Despite his demanding army career, Smriti's father always made it a point to be present. She shares, 'Whether it was a parent-teacher meeting, a school competition, or something else, he never missed a thing. Even today, he hasn't missed any project I've done. I'm sure he was constantly balancing the responsibilities of a soldier and a father, but I never felt like I had to compete with his work.
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He was just... present.
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Smriti Kalra
Ask her when she first felt proud of her father's service, and she doesn't hesitate and replies, 'Honestly, I've always been proud of him. That feeling has always been there — like a blanket wrapped around everything. I've never felt anything but pride in the man that he is.'
Growing up in a defence family meant embracing change often — something Smriti says helped shape who she is. She shares, 'We were always moving — adjusting, adapting, making new friends, then moving again.
That taught us resilience and independence. When I moved to Bombay one day with no house, no set plan — just my bags and belief — I wasn't anxious. That confidence came from growing up the army way.'
She adds, 'There's a Sanskrit phrase — Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family. That mindset gets instilled in you early. You learn to rely on yourself, trust yourself, and realise you are your own world.'
If there's one message she'd want to share with her father this Father's Day, it would be about acknowledging not just his profession, but the values with which he's lived.
She shares, 'I've always been proud of my father — not just because he was in the army, but because of the sincerity and commitment he brought to everything he did. To me, he was just doing what every father does: protect, provide, and nurture his family.
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As for how their bond has evolved, Smriti says it has only grown deeper. 'We've always been a team — a tag team — and we still are. He's the one person I talk to about everything: work, personal life, even my little scribbles. The only real change is that I've become more patient with him. As you grow older, you realise how much patience your parents showed when raising you — and now, it's our turn to return that,' she concludes with a smile.