Naveen Kasturia on 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya': Father role was scarier than counsellor
Synopsis
Naveen Kasturia admits the father-daughter dynamic in 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' unnerved him more than the counsellor arc — and he's never been a dad. With a powerhouse ensemble including Kay Kay Menon and Archana Puran Singh, the seven-episode Prime Video comedy-drama lands on 24 July 2026 and bets on the universal awkwardness of families who love each other but can't quite say so.
Key Takeaways
Naveen Kasturia plays Mukul , a school counsellor navigating a strained bond with his young daughter, in 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' .
Kasturia said he was more nervous about the father role than the counsellor role, as he is not a father in real life.
He described acting alongside the child actress as one of the most rewarding experiences of his career.
The seven-episode comedy-drama is directed by Himank Gaur and created by Biswapati Sarkar and Sameer Saxena under Posham Pa Pictures .
The show features an ensemble cast including Kay Kay Menon , Archana Puran Singh , and Abhimanyu Singh .
It premieres on Prime Video on 24 July 2026 in Hindi with English.
Actor Naveen Kasturia has revealed that playing a father on screen made him more anxious than portraying a school counsellor in his upcoming Prime Video series 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya', set to premiere on 24 July 2026. The seven-episode comedy-drama marks one of the actor's most emotionally layered outings yet.
The Role and What It Demanded
Kasturia plays Mukul, a school counsellor who must simultaneously manage the emotional weight of his profession and a fragile, unspoken bond with his young daughter. It is the father-daughter dynamic, rather than the professional arc, that pushed him furthest out of his comfort zone.
'Actually, if you ask me, I was more nervous about playing the father's part than playing the counsellor. I'm not a father in real life yet, so stepping into that emotional space was completely new for me. Understanding the dynamics between a father and daughter — the love, the awkwardness, and the struggle to communicate — was both challenging and exciting as an actor,' Kasturia said.
Acting Alongside Children — A Different Kind of Challenge
Kasturia also admitted to nerves about sharing screen space with child actors, whom he described as instinctively honest performers. The young actress playing his daughter, he said, set a high bar.
'I was also nervous about acting with children because they're so instinctive and honest. The little girl who plays my daughter is a phenomenal actor. Mukul loves his daughter deeply and wants to be her friend, but they're still unable to talk to each other the way they want to. I think that's something many families can relate to,' he said. He added that portraying the unspoken tension between the two characters was 'one of the most rewarding experiences' of his acting career.
The Show and Its Creative Team
'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' is a lighthearted drama exploring themes of hope, resilience, and community. Directed by Himank Gaur and created and executive produced by Biswapati Sarkar and Sameer Saxena under Posham Pa Pictures, the series is written by Biswapati Sarkar, Akshay Asthana, Nupur Pai, Tatsat Pandey, and Meghna Srivastava.
The ensemble cast includes Kay Kay Menon, Archana Puran Singh, Abhimanyu Singh, Prasanna Bisht, Deven Bhojani, Ajitesh Gupta, Annapurna Soni, and Prachee Shah.
Premiere and Platform
'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' premieres on Prime Video in Hindi with English on 24 July 2026. With its school setting and focus on familial communication, the show appears positioned to tap into the growing audience appetite for slice-of-life Indian dramedies on streaming platforms.
Point of View
But because the specific fear (playing a parent without being one) cuts to the heart of what method-adjacent Indian television drama demands of its performers. 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' arrives on a Prime Video slate increasingly crowded with school-and-family dramedies; its differentiator will be whether Posham Pa Pictures' track record of grounded, character-first storytelling holds at seven episodes. The unspoken father-daughter tension Kasturia describes is a well-worn emotional register in Indian content — the real test is whether the writing gives it fresh texture or settles for sentiment.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' about?
'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' is a seven-episode lighthearted comedy-drama on Prime Video that explores themes of hope, resilience, and community through a school setting. Naveen Kasturia plays Mukul, a school counsellor managing both his professional responsibilities and a fragile relationship with his young daughter.
When does 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya' release on Prime Video?
The show premieres on Prime Video on 24 July 2026 in Hindi with English.
Who are the other actors in 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya'?
The ensemble cast includes Kay Kay Menon, Archana Puran Singh, Abhimanyu Singh, Prasanna Bisht, Deven Bhojani, Ajitesh Gupta, Annapurna Soni, and Prachee Shah, alongside Naveen Kasturia.
Who directed and created 'Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya'?
The show is directed by Himank Gaur and created and executive produced by Biswapati Sarkar and Sameer Saxena under Posham Pa Pictures. The writing team includes Biswapati Sarkar, Akshay Asthana, Nupur Pai, Tatsat Pandey, and Meghna Srivastava.
Why was Naveen Kasturia nervous about his role in the show?
Kasturia said he was more nervous about playing the father than the school counsellor because he is not a father in real life. He also expressed nerves about acting with child performers, though he described the experience as ultimately one of the most rewarding of his career.
