In a rare interview done more than 20 years ago with TV host Simi Garewal, Indian’s first couple, as they were known then, spoke about the tough lessons they’ve had to pass on to their kids to make sure they live a “normal” life. Tina and Anil said they made it a priority not to spoil their kids and to teach them the importance of wealth and how not to abuse it.

Learning to value money

Tina said she believes the way she brought the boys up kept them in touch with reality. At the time of the interview, she said the boys were eight and four and she always stressed that they had been born into wealth and luck, but just because they had everything, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t value it.

Anmol’s big money lesson

As a child, Anmol used to go pony riding daily and it was dad Anil who noticed he was coming home with a cheap toy after every lesson. In the interview, he admitted that he approached Tina and said that the daily toys should stop. The nanny who was with Anmol during the pony lessons told the family she bought him a toy because he cried every day. Tina said she sat down with her son and said that getting toys daily is “just not done”. She said she told him that when he grew up he would realise that it’s hard work to make money and that everything you buy, should be valued.

A fan of grandad

Raising men

Tina and Anil said they face the same problems other people do, but have learnt to be more private about their issues. Taking a leaf out of their own childhoods, Tina told Garewal that Anmol and Anshul had a basic upbringing. She said it was important for her to stress that wealth can be “here today and gone tomorrow”.

The former actress said she wanted to raise boys who knew the importance of their own convictions and had the ability to handle different situations.

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