/> Naseeruddin Shah has just shared Rice Plate with Shabana. And now he's off to Dehra Doon with wife Ratna Pathak to watch his younger son's first stage production.

"It's a play that Vivaan has directed in school," declares the proud father. "My wife and I are going to watch it on Thursday night. He has been winning the best-actor award on stage for two years. But this is his first stab at direction."

Naseer's son Imaad is about to make his debut as a leading man in Dil Dosti, Etc. "But it isn't his debut by any means," Naseer clarifies. "He played a small role as a baby in with me in The Perfect Murder. He also did a part in my Pestonjee many years ago.

Then he was seen in my directorial venture Yun To Kya Hota Hai. And now he's making his full-fledged debut as a leading man in Dil Dosti Etc. In addition Imaad is also acting in (screenwriter) Sooni Taraporewala's directorial debut about the Parsi community."

But Imaad keeps insisting that acting isn't his true calling.

"I don't know why he keeps saying that," shrugs the concerned father. "I think he wants to make a mark on his own. The thought of a headstart through me doesn't comfort him too much. What's bothering him is that if he's an actor he'd be known primarily as my son.

He wants to be known as his own man. But it isn't up to him...Acting is bound to take over his life. I think my younger son has made up his mind about being an actor. As a child I too had made up my mind I wanted to be an actor.

But I couldn't reveal my aspirations to anybody. I stuck to my dreams. Now I wait to be known as my sons' father."