How are you enjoying motherhoodIJ
It is absolutely wonderful. In the beginning, you don’t really know what you’re doing, but you learn slowly. And Saira is a wonderful, happy, sorted child. Now she is with us all the time, she travels with us wherever we go, allowing Mahesh and me to do what we love doing. But it is hard work, and as a mother you need to balance out a lot of things. Now that she getting older, she understands that both her parents have demanding careers.
How does Saira react seeing you on the screenIJ
Well, it took her a while to get used to it as she had no idea what her mother did for a day job when she was small. Now she kind of knows — she was with me while shooting Singh is Bling and she saw the film; she thinks it’s hilarious. She understands the process now. But it doesn’t really matter to her what I am off doing on screen. At home, I am still her mum.
To what extent have you been involved in your husband Mahesh Bhupathi’s new sportswear company ZevenIJ
Since this is Mahesh’s brand, I have been privy to it since its inception. I have given a lot of inputs, especially for the women’s line. I have seen the product develop right from the start. I know how great their research and design team is. And it is very different from being a brand ambassador where you are not really involved in the project much.
What all do you do to stay fit personally, especially since Saira (your daughter) was bornIJ
I’ve always been fitness-oriented but yes, of course, my regime changed a bit. Fitness is a way of life for me. I do a lot of things — training, pilates, yoga, running. I work out at least six times a week.
Can you tell us something about your next film, AzharIJ
Azhar is about the life and times of Mohammad Azharuddin. It’s been quite an intense film to work on, also because it is based on true events. There is a certain social responsibility as well. I play a pretty hard character, a prosecuting lawyer. So, it was a good change, completely different from anything else I have done. She’s sort of like the voice of the nation because she is asking the questions that millions of fans wanted to ask. At this stage in my career, I am enjoying playing roles in which I don’t have to play safe. You don’t have to just look glamorous, you can actually act.
Whom do you enjoy working with more — the young people like Aditya Roy Kapoor or the older, experienced ones like Akshay KumarIJ
Working with someone like Anil (Kapoor), Akshay or Govinda, they are so good at what they do that it takes your own performance to another level. At the same time, even the youngsters (directors as well as actors) have a whole new way of working. It’s very refreshing to be around them. The comfort level is a lot more with the older lot of actors, but a new energy comes with the younger ones.
Any other projects lined upIJ
There are a couple of things, more so on the production front. It needs full attention which I was unable to give after Chalo Dilli. We’ve got two big films this year which will be announced soon and they will go on the floors by the end of this year. There are also some exciting sports-related things happening.