When care has no gender

Creators of Single Papa, Ishita Moitra & Neeraj Udhwani, open up about challenging parenting norms, redefining family, emotional honesty and choosing warmth over cynicism in modern storytelling

- Vidhi Santosh Mehta

In an entertainment landscape often dominated by cynicism and spectacle, Single Papa arrives as a quietly radical show, one that chooses warmth, humour, and emotional honesty over noise. Co-created, co-written, and co-produced by Ishita Moitra and Neeraj Udhwani, the Netflix series challenges deeply ingrained ideas around parenting, caregiving, and what truly constitutes a family.

Through the journey of a single papa navigating adoption and fatherhood, the creators explore institutional bias, evolving urban family structures, and the simple yet profound truth that care has no gender. In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Ishita Moitra and Neeraj Udhwani reflect on collaboration, creative intent, and why telling stories with sunshine can be a form of resistance. Excerpts:

Single Papa tackles single parenthood with warmth and humour. What personal or observational truths shaped the core of this story?