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Soha Ali Khan wants daughter Inaaya to have a tough skin
Soha Ali Khan has a great sense of humour — a fact evident in the title of her recently released memoir, The Perils of Being Moderately Famous. Even though she is a popular Bollywood actor, she has lived most of her life with the fact that she has family members who’re more famous than her. So, then would she be okay if her daughter, Inaaya, grows up to be ‘moderately famous’, too? “It doesn’t matter if [Inaaya] is incredibly famous, moderately famous, or totally anonymous,” says the 39-yearold, who is married to actor Kunal Kemmu.
Soha, who gave birth to Inaaya on September 29, 2017, says that she’ll support her daughter in whatever she chooses to do. “Whether she wants to be a full-time mother, an astronaut, an actor, or an architect, I will support her. I want to give her a good foundation, and be involved in her life. I want to teach her my values, and I want to help [make] her dreams come true,” says Soha.
In the age of social media, when star kids come in the spotlight within weeks or days after birth, Soha says that setting some examples is the best way to teach children how to deal with comparisons. “I’ll show her that these things don’t matter,” says the actor. “Also, one must learn to respect other people’s opinions. If somebody disagrees with you, it doesn’t mean you block them out or remove yourself from the equation. Sometimes, it’s good to have a healthy debate. And then, of course, you can agree to disagree as well,” she says.
She adds, “I’d like to exhibit that kind of behaviour around Inaaya. I want her to have a tough skin. It’s important in today’s world, otherwise it can get to you. People are very direct and outspoken, and sometimes we hear things that can hurt us. I want her to be able to withstand that.”
Part of developing this tough skin is learning to take criticism. Soha says, “Inaaya shouldn’t be surrounded by only love and positivity. She should be a strong, secure person who can withstand criticism, and also be able to laugh. Having a sense of humour is very important.”