Indian television and film producer Ekta Kapoor has shared how her father, actor Jeetendra, approached money, family responsibilities and saving for the next generation. In a recent podcast conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia, she explained how his upbringing in a chawl in Maharashtra, shaped his financial habits and his belief that parents should secure their children’s future. According to her, Jeetendra saving money was not simply about holding on to money. It was about making sure his children would not have to struggle financially when they grew up. Kapoor said his approach reflected a mindset common among Indian middle-class parents, who often put their children’s needs ahead of their own. “India is the only country where parents think so much about their children,” she said during the conversation, describing how deeply this concern can influence family decisions.
How Jeetendra’s childhood shaped his approach to money
5 Oct 2026 | 12:06
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During the podcast, Allahbadia asked Kapoor how Jeetendra became skilled at investing and what financial lessons he passed on to her. He also recalled that Jeetendra had encouraged his daughter to leave home and start working even before her television career took off with ‘Hum Paanch’. Ekta explained that her father’s financial outlook was closely linked to his early life. “My father is a very big family man, but he came from…from a chawl. He was raised in a chawl in Girgaon (Maharashtra), so his belief was that when money comes after a lot of struggle in life, you save it, you don’t spend it,” she said. According to Ekta, Jeetendra was careful about spending and believed in putting money aside rather than making unnecessary purchases. His experience had taught him that money earned through years of hard work should be protected and used thoughtfully. “My father doesn’t spend much, he has always thought about saving, and mostly, no one in our house spends unnecessarily,” she said.
Why Indian parents often save for their children
Ekta with her family.
Kapoor said her father’s attitude was not unusual among Indian families. She compared his outlook to that of ordinary middle-class parents, including people working in banks, who save with their children’s future in mind. “It was that middle-class mentality that an Indian father has, to save for the children. So that when the children grow up, they shouldn’t face any problems,” she said. “It was that middle-class mentality that an Indian father has, to save for the children. So that when the children grow up, they shouldn’t face any problems,” she added. This approach can influence how parents handle their earnings, spending and investments. Instead of looking only at their immediate needs, they may think about their children’s education, future expenses and the financial support they might need as adults.
“In Indian families, parents won’t go for medical tests because…”
Kapoor also pointed to the extent to which some parents put their children’s future ahead of their own well-being. She recalled making a television show about the tendency of Indian parents to avoid medical tests because they fear that a health problem could affect their children’s future. “You know, I even made a show about this. In Indian families, parents won’t go for medical tests, because if something is found, they worry it might affect their children’s future,” she said. “India is the only country where parents think so much about their children. It is one of the few countries. So, my father came from that mindset,” added Ekta.
From saving money to investing it
Jeetendra’s approach, as Kapoor described it, went beyond avoiding unnecessary spending. He also believed that savings should be put to work so that wealth could grow over time. “Never knowing if the money would keep coming in, or what might happen. Not to spend too much. So that was his mindset,” she said. She explained that her father followed a gradual approach to managing money, beginning with relatively secure options before exploring other investments and business opportunities. “When you have that. You have to know how to save. Then with those savings, you learn to invest,” Kapoor said. “So from there, he decided to make his first FD. So some money is safe. Then invest in land. Then invest in things, then understand businesses.”
The parenting lesson to take away
Jeetendra’s approach offers a practical lesson for parents: financial security begins with saving, but it also requires learning how to invest. By setting aside money and gradually exploring different investments, he aimed to ensure his children would have a safety net even when life was uncertain. Ekta’s account also raises an important question for parents: while planning for children’s future matters, their own health and well-being should not take a back seat. Preparing children for adulthood means building financial security without neglecting the needs of the people providing it.
