Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi welcomed their second child, a baby boy, a few days back. Amidst all the chaos in the house, Neha takes some time out to promote her upcoming film Sunak, in which she plays a cop. We spoke to her about the arrival of her new baby, working out during her pregnancy and whether she plans to be back on set anytime soon.
It’s just been 10 days since you gave birth to your second child and you’re already interviewing.
I am just glad that I have the mental and physical strength to get up on my feet quicker than many people. I think it’s my bouncing mentality that shows up here. I am also happy that the release of my film Sanak is coinciding with my giving birth. I think surround sound is just that as women, we can do anything we put our mind to.
Watch: Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia share a glimpse of their baby boy
How is the atmosphere of the house?
It really is a tremendous feeling. There is such a positive atmosphere in the house in which a lot of love is showered from everyone. With this the sleepless nights have also returned (laughs). Especially as a mother, because a child needs them more than anyone else. But I am not complaining because Angad tries to be there as much as he can. He is really cool and calm. Angad has been really handsome and has taken over all the responsibilities of Meher (his three-year-old daughter). As parents, Angad and I do not want our daughter to feel lost or displaced by the presence of another child because she is too young to understand. I am just making sure that a lot of my time is devoted to taking care of the baby, my health, Meher and of course Angad and I am taking it one day at a time with a lot of patience.
How is Meher reacting to her younger brother?
Meher is very excited. During the pregnancy, Angad and I were grooming her to be a sibling and she would soon have to share her room. We also taught her that sharing is caring, so she shares all her favorite toys with the little one, although she has no idea what’s going on. And after a minute or so, Meher would be like, ‘I’m sharing. I’m taking my toys.’ So it’s really cute. Before leaving for her classes, she walks up to him and says a loud goodbye. Just yesterday evening she was leaving for her class and she said ‘bye’ and mother replied, ‘bye,’ and Meher was like I am not a child. She knows that she is the older sister now. She also gets curious when he cries so it’s really nice to see their bonding.
How different has this time been?
I was on a different mind both personally and professionally during my first pregnancy. Professionally, I started working really soon but it was hard to keep pace with the mental, emotional and physical changes. This time I was much more prepared and I told myself that the sooner I can adjust to my situation, the faster I will be able to come back. The biggest relief was that this time I had very little parental advice coming my way. One piece of advice that I received was to treat Mehr more tenderly than ever before and I have followed that.
How has Angad been as a father?
Angad is a wonderful father. He is always there and gives his 100 percent. I don’t have any complaints whatsoever. There are so many things like feeding a baby that he cannot do. But at the same time he has also taken over all the responsibilities of Meher. From putting her to bed, to keeping everything ready for school and other activities, he does it all. We have deliberately divided the duties.
You were working till your due date…
(cutting out) I didn’t tell this to anyone, but I was working through labor and contractions. Like I was in the middle of contractions and shooting. On a lighter note, you can put the crown back on my head that I won 20 years ago (referring to her Femina Miss India pageant win) that I was working through during labor and contractions (laughs). But, I did not make such a decision. I just felt that no matter what opportunity came my way, and if I liked it, I shouldn’t miss it. It seems to me that if you have professional aspirations and personal dreams or vice versa, this should not be an option in a woman’s life. I have been in this business for 20 years, I have come a long way and I have a long way to go. I know what my shortcomings are. Having said that, if I base my life and my entire career on relevance and a little bit of talent and the name I’ve made for myself, just because I want to start a family, I don’t want to take four years off. At the same time, I respect every mother and her decision. If a mother wants to take longer maternity leave then it should be perfectly acceptable.
But is there pressure to bounce back?
There’s a huge pressure to bounce back as mom and that kind of doubles as actors. And that’s what you need to fight. That’s one reason you have to work during your pregnancy because you don’t need to be in a position you’ve been in. One thing that has changed depends on what kind of roles you really want to do. You mentioned the difference between two pregnancies and I want to tell you that during the first one, I was creating opportunities for myself and during the second there were opportunities that I wanted to make and were born. During Mehr, I was doing my production and some reality shows, this time I was working on two films.
Are you already planning to go back to work?
No, I haven’t planned anything, but a lot of mental calculations are going on. One thing I do know is that I have these two little munnes at home and every opportunity that comes to me, including films, must be really good enough to leave them at home. I’m not sitting on set or in the vanity van if it’s not worth my time.
Tell me about the craze?
I started shooting in December and it was during the film that I came to know that I am pregnant. But I am really proud of myself that I was taking out the pistol to shoot and survive the bombings and physically drag myself to do a lot more. Luckily I was not hired to do the front flow and backflip because Vidyut Jammwal did it in the film (laughs). Thankfully your body has not changed in the first trimester so I am really happy that I could do this film.
Lastly, have you chosen a name for the newborn?
no not till now. We are enjoying our time right now and we will do it when the time comes.
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