Aishwarya discusses motherhood, movies w/ Anupama

This week, Anupama Chopra interviews Aishwarya Bachchan, one of Bollywood's leading actors, who has taken time off from the movies since the birth of her daughter, Aaradhya. Ms. Bachchan talks about body image, a return to the movies, and always being her parents' daughter. Edited excerpts:

Anupama: Aishwarya, has motherhood changed you in any fundamental way?

Aishwarya: It is a huge experience. It is going to bring about growth, experience, change, incredible fulfillment, bliss. But these are all my personal sentiments and I am sure it will someday come into my being and my approach to life.

Anupama: Do you think that the experience of becoming a mother would perhaps influence your performances on-screen as well?

Aishwarya: (Laughs) We will find out! But I am sure that experience is by far the best gift an artist can have in any area of creativity. The more you are blessed with experience the fuller and the more enriched you are in your craft.

Anupama: Two years ago, you had said to me that, for you, there was absolutely no conflict between marriage and a career. You told me that you got married in the middle of a movie – "Jodhaa Akbar" — and were committed to both your professional and personal life.  But is there any conflict between motherhood and a career?

Aishwarya: I say it even today, as I would at the beginning of my career. The key word here is "commitment." You take on more in your life if you can remain committed to whatever means the world to you. Your child, of course, means the world to you but so does your husband, so do your parents.

The day I got married and I had a husband and in-laws in my life, my parents didn't cease to be less important. The fact is that everyone remains a priority in your life. I still took on work that I knew I could commit to and that is pretty much the way I will continue my course of life. I keep saying that it is about finding that balance that you know you can commit yourself to and remain committed to.

Anupama: But how do you make the balancing act look so effortless?

Aishwarya: That will remain my secret. Is it effortless? No. There is incredible amount of effort that goes in but I think it is important to make it seem effortless because the moment you start feeling the weight or the pressures then you aren't enjoying what you are doing.

Anupama: One of the things that really intrigued me was that, post-delivery, you became a target for the fashion mafia for not immediately getting back into shape. But so many women saw you as a symbol for positive body image and for being comfortable in your own skin.  Were you surprised by this?

Aishwarya: On one level, what is new? And, on the other hand, I am glad everybody knows me for who I am. This is who I am and this is who I have always been. I have always been a person who is extremely comfortable in my skin. I have always just been myself in all these years on the public platform. And while, yes, the focus is on the negativity, let me tell you, there was that much more positivity at that point in time as well. Whenever there is negativity coming my way, the positivity is at least a 10-15 fold more by the population of my well-wishers. I think it is today in hindsight very healthy and so many more women are comfortable with this phase of life.

Weight gain can happen at any point in time and it is something that you are dealing with anyway and it is OK. It is ridiculous to have this dictate your very being because I have always said that it is not the outside that defines who you are. Yes, we can work at presentation but that doesn't define who you are. It is what's within that matters. It is what you do, what your beliefs are, your equations with people and just your innate comfort with being who you are that is just so much more important. And in all my travels, I had so many women come up to me and tell me that "We are so glad that you have been yourself."

Anupama: Did you consciously set out to be a role model?

Aishwarya: I didn't set out on any mission except being myself. I could have chosen to remain indoors and only come out when I was ready. I could have made those choices. But, c'mon, you look in the mirror every waking day of our lives so of course I could see the weight gain. And I still chose to come out like this. In my third month or second month I was out there on Oprah and I was like, "This is who I am and this is what has happened." And I am seeing all around, and even in showbiz, it has brought about a lot of change and I am glad.

Anupama: Is there professionally any burden to being Mrs. Bachchan? The Bachchans are such an iconic family, are there any rules regarding what is OK and not OK professionally?

Aishwarya: We have never sat down and spoken about it and I haven't been handed a rule book. I will be as responsible or liberated as I, Aishwarya, my parent's daughter, have been and will be. It is not necessarily because today I am married to this family or today I am a mother to Aaradhya.

Aishwarya, my parent's daughter, has been brought up with enough values inculcated where I will use my discretion in my choices. At the same time, I recognize I am an actor, I am an artist and if I feel the need to be liberated  and do the kind of work I need to do, I will. If you are drawing attention to the family I have gotten married into, I think my father-in-law has been an example of being an exemplary, iconic and extremely liberated artist.

Anupama: Aishwarya you haven't been on a movie set for two years now. Do you miss it?

Aishwarya: Well I do agree with every colleague of mine that "once an actor always an actor," so that is something that remains. And when it comes to this aspect of two years that you are drawing my attention to, very honestly I haven't even realized that two years have flown by. I was working for a large part of my pregnancy so I honestly have not realized the time. People have been asking me about doing more work and it feels good. It feels you are missed and people are looking forward to you doing a lot more work and I am thankful for that. There has been a lot of talk within members of the industry as well. When you go on a set, it is like time never passed. You don't feel the gap at all.