The ma in Mahima

The joy of giving unconditional love has changed Mahima Chaudhari. The actor, who is back on the sets after a four-year break, looks extremely calm and comfortable facing the camera. The lady says she enjoyed baby-sitting to the hilt but is now ready to bounce back into action. In between breaks, she talks to CS about motherhood and work:


Who: Mahima Chaudhari
What: Talks about getting back to work after a 4-year break
Where: On the sets of a film

Motherhood magic
I had a blissful pregnancy where I just relaxed and enjoyed myself. But yes, the initial years of motherhood were quite taxing. While I was getting quite a few film offers, I couldn't take them up, as I had no physical energy left whatsoever. Nursing the baby had totally drained me out. Now, my daughter Aryana is four years old, so I can manage to take out some time for work. Trust me, I really enjoyed being a hands-on mother. It was the best role I ever played in my life. Motherhood has made me more empathetic, compassionate, patient and selfless. Previously, I used to lose my cool whenever my staff would come late or with other such trivial things. But now, I am more adjusting. Being a mother has taught me to look inwards.

Khan mania
My daughter is a film buff like me. She goes to playschool and hardly watches television, but she's crazy about Salman Khan. Aryana loves to sing Character Dheela Hai. For her, Salman Khan is the ultimate thing in this world. A few days back, I asked her what would she gift to her grandmom on her birthday. Aryana promptly said, "Salman Khan" (laughs out loud). As for me, I really like Imran Khan amongst the newer breed of actors. I find him really cute. But I don't know whether I can ever be paired romantically with Imran. The only pairing I can foresee is of friends or colleagues in a film. After all, I don't want to look like a cradle snatcher!u00a0

In front of the camera
Well, a lot of actresses who are mothers like Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor and Kajol are doing quality work post motherhood. In fact, even yesteryear actresses like Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee Gulzar did some great films after becoming moms. And I am glad to see that the stereotype of a Bollywood heroine is slowly fading away. There are great character roles for actors. I love comedy, romance and action films. In fact, I want to do a great action flick, as I have never experimented in that genre. The new wave cinema of this era is truly exciting. I would love to work with directors like Vishal Bharadwaj, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap.