Family, camera, action: How the Kamats bond over reels

In a time when most families struggle to spend uninterrupted time together, filmmaker Vardhan Kamat and his family have found an unusual way to bond — by creating reels together. What started as a simple attempt to help their shy son open up has today turned into a fun family ritual filled with scripts, retakes, laughter and a little bit of chaos.Along with wife Rucha Kamat and sons Vivaan and Aahan, Vardhan has slowly built a space where creativity and family life go hand in hand. Their videos, inspired largely by everyday situations, have struck a chord online and even led the family to feature in the Doordarshan series The Family Woman.TURNING FEAR INTO INSPIRATIONInterestingly, the idea was never planned. Vardhan says it all began when he noticed his younger son Aahan hiding under the table whenever guests visited their home. “I wanted him to become more comfortable around people and express himself better. Both Vivaan and Aahan were very reserved. Since I come from a theatre background, I thought acting and performing might help them naturally open up,” he says. And it seems to have worked. Today, the boys are comfortable facing the camera, offering suggestions during shoots and even enjoying the creative process — most of the time.“Baba tells us how to say the dialogues, but sometimes we also give him ideas,” says 13-year-old Vivaan with a smile. Aahan, 10, adds, “Sometimes it can get monotonous, but when people appreciate our videos, it feels nice.” For Rucha, being in front of the camera was something she never imagined for herself. “I was always interested in acting, but I never thought I could actually do it. Slowly, while making videos, my confidence grew and now I genuinely enjoy it,” she shares.”’There are no reels during exams’Shooting together as a family also means dealing with occasional chaos at home. Vardhan laughs that the house often turns messy during shoots, with tripods, phones and microphones scattered around. But he insists there are clear boundaries. “There are no reels during exams and no forcing the kids if they’re tired or not in the mood. We only make videos when everyone is comfortable. It’s more about happiness and memories than making money,” he says.