ALL FOR LOVE
Doting and completely hands-on, Lisa Haydon is raising her son Zack with good values
Just when you expect Lisa Haydon to walk in with a uniformed nanny for her son Zack and a battery of assistants, she breezes in with her 18-month-old perched on an arm and his tricycle in her other hand. Minutes later, with his toys laid out and a eye on his movements, she effortlessly transforms from a doting mother into a camera-friendly professional who scans the place for the right shot, decides her look and outfit and faces the spotlight with ease. Between shots, she turns into an indulgent mother who sings along to Zack’s favourite songs Wheels on the
Bus and ABCD that plays on her phone even as he pedals on his airplane-shaped tricycle. “I had a different impression of motherhood. I was told it’ll be tough but I realised that eventually it is what you make of it. When you see the love your child gives, giving up a few things doesn’t feel like any sacrifice,” she says. So, while late night binge watching shows on Netflix may have “gone out of the window”, Haydon, 32, seamlessly divides time between work and home. “I always wanted to be a mother. All you need to do is set your priorities right,” she says. The face of international brands such as Kerastase and Motorola, she shuttles between Mumbai, London and Hong Kong with her family and travels to India for shoots for a few weeks every month.
Every other day, the 1.3 million followers on her social media page are treated to eye-catching photographs that give them a peek into Haydon’s life—dreamy vacations, endorsing brands, workout sessions and playtime with her son. If she was mercilessly trolled for posting a picture of breastfeeding her infant son, admirers gush over her toned abs. “I do what I feel is right. If what I do and say doesn’t harm anyone else, I don’t care about what negative people say. I block and delete negativity. Earlier I used to get upset but now I think, if you are following me, you must be interested in my life,” she says.
From ruling the ramp to playing the spunky Vijay Laxmi in Queen or being the sassy, blonde-haired presenter of reality show
Top Model India a few months after delivering her baby, she epitomises the ambitious working woman who sets targets and works hard towards achieving them. Back in India in 2004 after a stint in the US—as a social volunteer—and in Australia—as a yoga teacher—the then 18-year-old Mumbai-bred girl eagerly looked at billboards of her favourite brands, aspiring to be there someday. “I saw a Lakme campaign and I wanted to be there,” she says. Haydon later worked with the legendary German photographer Peter Lindbergh for a jewellery brand which made her a recognised face on hoardings. “I set a target for myself and went out to achieve it,” she says.
Her maiden assignment was for Axe, a deodorant brand in 2004 that led to fashion shows, a television commercial for Seagram’s Blenders Pride and a project she coveted—to be the face of Lakme. “It was a gradual build up,” she says. The former Kingfisher calendar girl went on to be the showstopper on runways and grace magazine covers. Directors took notice and offered her roles but Haydon picked Aisha as her film debut in 2010. “I knew Sonam and Rhea and realised that this would be a good film,” she says. The model learnt method acting in New York and took diction classes in Mumbai. But a career low soon after taught her an all-important lesson—never to pin your happiness on any aspect of life. “You cannot draw happiness from things that may come and go. Career or anything should not become the be-all and end-all of life. It’s important to keep a balance,” she says.
Four months into her pregnancy, Haydon shot for a magazine cover with Hrithik Roshan and continued working until the fifth month. “It was among the proudest moments but for me, it was a matter of finishing my professional commitments without drawing attention to myself,” she says. A few weeks after her son was born, she was back at work sporting an enviably fit body. When in London, she burns calories at the Paola’s BodyBarre studio where she masters barre, pilates, TRX and yoga method; in Hong Kong it is H-Kore, “the hardest workout” or a hike in the mountains. An outdoor person, Haydon “fell in love with Mumbai while running down the streets at sunrise” and participating in marathons. “I eat what I want but I work out hard,” she says.
While parenting comes with new challenges every day, for Haydon, it is “one day at a time” while raising 18-month-old Zack. “I have started to recognise my stance on certain subjects depending upon what I want to teach him. It’s always a work in progress,” she says. Commitment to work is a lesson she wants to raise her son with. “The most important value I want to give him is faith and also to be a good responsible human being and work hard. When you give children things on a silver plate, you take away their survival instincts. Along with values, you need to give them a backbone,” she says. With work projects bringing her to India every month, husband Dino Lalvani chips in to care of Zack when she’s at work. “It takes a community to raise a child and as a working woman, it gives me joy and pride that my husband respects my desire to work and is there as my support,” she says.