Soha Ali Khan has returned to the silver screen with ‘Chhorii 2’, but the journey back to acting hasn’t been easy.
In a heartfelt interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter India’, the actor opened up about how motherhood not only transformed her life but completely consumed it, forcing her to step away from her career and even her social circle.
Soha, who became a mother in 2017 at the age of 38, says the transition into motherhood was all-encompassing.
“I lost my entire identity in motherhood. I lost my friends, I temporarily lost my husband. And I forgot everything,” she confessed, speaking about how her daughter Inaaya became her whole world in those early years.
“I tend to do one thing very passionately,” she explained. “So for the first three years, it was all about her, to the extent that I had to find balance again.”
Soha is refreshingly frank about the personal cost of motherhood, admitting that work, social life, and even marriage took a back seat. And while some may view this as a sacrifice, Soha views it as a conscious choice.
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Now, as she works her way back into the film industry, Soha Ali Khan says she’s more aware than ever of the delicate balancing act between being a working professional and a mother.
“By 7 p.m., I start getting anxious,” she shared. “That’s my bedtime ritual with Inaaya. Even when I was on set in Rajasthan, I burst into tears because I hadn’t seen her all day.”
She’s unapologetic about setting boundaries at work and supportive of other women doing the same. This comes especially fellow actor Deepika Padukone, who recently made headlines for demanding more humane work conditions.
Deepika’s reported request for an eight-hour work shift while negotiating her role in ‘Spirit’ allegedly didn’t sit well with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
Soha, however, understands where Deepika’s coming from. “At 7, if you don’t pack up with me, I’ll run off,” she said with a smile. “I’m sure some people will be like, ‘Don’t hire her (Soha) because she could be tough. She’s going to want to run home after 7.’ That was a career hit I was ready to take at 38, after achieving a lot.”