I’m one of those irritating parents who show their baby’s pictures to everyone: Kashmera
Monika Rawal Kukreja
Actor Kashmera Shah has her hands full, not only taking care of her oneyear-old twin sons but also shooting for a film that she has written and is directing.
“Mine is a 27-hour long day,” she exclaims, adding, “My kids (born via surrogacy) are very noisy, [making me] run around the house. But, I’ve never known patience the way I have it today. I’m surprised and amazed. We’ve become kids with our kids.”
Like all other parents, Kashmera admits that she can’t stop talking about her children. “We (actor Krushna Abhishek and she) used to find other parents irritating when they would do the baby talk or show their baby’s pictures to everyone around them all the time. I’m one of those irritating parents now,” she laughs.
Has motherhood affected her work-related priorities in any way? “No. In fact, if anything, I want to work harder because I want my kids to know that their mum is a director, a fighter, a survivor! They should know that I have made a name in this industry with no backing. I want them to be proud of me and everything that I’ve done, so I am striving each day to do good roles and make better films.”
Agreeing that the entertainment industry treats mothers differently from other actors, Kashmera calls it a universal phenomenon. “...Suddenly, people will be like, ‘Oh, she’s a mom, so she can’t play a sex symbol role.’... But I feel that actors like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have changed this notion. [The late] Sridevi changed it years ago. So, I think slowly, the women of this industry are changing the norms and I’m proud to be one of them,” Kashmera signs off.