Asin's daughter, 8, can speak 12 languages, says dad; no TV or phones at home

Actor Asin Thottumkal and her husband, Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma, have taken a screen-free approach to raising their eight-year-old daughter, Arin Rayn Sharma. According to Rahul, their home has no television, and Arin has not been given access to mobile phones or other screens.

Instead, books occupy a central place in her childhood, with the family keeping reading material well beyond her current school level.In a 2025 interview with MyGov India, Rahul spoke about his marriage to Asin, her role in their family and the way she approaches their daughter's upbringing. He credited his wife with much of the work that goes into raising Arin and said their home environment reflects her contribution.

No television or mobile phones at home

Rahul said the couple have not introduced screens into Arin's life so far. “We have not given Arin any screens thus far. Therefore, no TVs or mobile phones. We only have books at home. We probably have more books at home than Arin has at her school,” he said. Arin is currently in Class 2, but her parents have already collected books intended for much older students.“She is in Class 2 right now, but we already have books for Classes 8 and 9 at home.

I quip once in a while, saying, ‘Let her appear for the Class 10 board exam as well. What difference does it make?’ It’s all Asin’s contribution to us,” Rahul added. Rahul gave Asin the credit for putting this approach into practice and for the role she has played in shaping their daughter.

Arin can speak about 12 languages

Rahul also spoke about Arin's interest in languages. He said their daughter can understand and speak about 12 languages, including Korean, Japanese, Thai and Chinese.

“I am finding it difficult to speak even two languages. We are stuck with English and Hindi,” he said. His remark offered a glimpse into Arin's interests, although he did not explain how she learned the languages or how proficient she is in each one.For parents, the family's approach raises an interesting question: how much of a child's everyday environment is shaped by the habits and choices adults make at home? In Arin's case, Rahul's account places books and language learning at the centre of family life.

Rahul on Asin's role in the family

Rahul's praise for Asin extended beyond parenting. He described her as a source of support who understands his ambitions and encourages him through difficult periods. “Marrying Asin was the most important thing that worked well for me. She is the rock behind me. If anything happens, whatever it is, she is the one who says, ‘Don’t worry… you just move forward.’ She understands me and my passion. She is a blind believer.

If you have such people around you, life becomes very easy,” he said in the interview.He also spoke about the importance of having a supportive partner. “Our partner should be the person who lifts us, not one who pulls us from behind,” he said, adding that the same principle applies to friendships. “She is that person for me… she lifts me. Her contribution to my life is more than what I can explain,” he added.Rahul said that while he faces challenges outside the home, Asin takes care of the challenges within their family.

“You are not just fighting a war outside, but you also have to face a similar one within your home, right? She (Asin) is the one who takes care of the latter [in our home]. I have never seen a person like her in my life,” he said.

From a successful film career to family life

Asin began her career with commercials before making her Malayalam film debut in Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001. She gained wider recognition with the Telugu film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi (2003), opposite Ravi Teja.

She made her Hindi film debut opposite Aamir Khan in Ghajini (2008. The film became a major box-office success and was the first Hindi film to cross the ₹100-crore net collection mark in India.Asin went on to star in films including London Dreams (2009), Ready (2011), Housefull 2 (2012), Khiladi 786 (2012) and Bol Bachchan (2012). Her last film was All Is Well (2015), opposite Abhishek Bachchan. She married Rahul Sharma in 2016 and subsequently stepped away from acting.

Don’t just take screens away; give children something to turn to

When parents reduce screen time, the bigger question is what fills the space left behind. Books, puzzles, drawing materials and activities children can explore independently give them alternatives to reach for when they are bored. Instead of making every request for a phone a confrontation, parents can build predictable routines around these activities and join in without turning them into lessons. The aim is not simply to keep screens out of a child's hands, but to make other ways of spending time familiar and enjoyable.