Neha Dhupia: I Was Judged For Stepping Out After Two Months Of Giving Birth

Neha Dhupia, who has recently won big for her powerful role as a pregnant cop in 'A Thursday ', says that for new mothers, judgments will always be there but one needs to ask themselves why are they doing things that they want to do.  “I want to be able to live my life, even after having my children, I’m driven by the same things. My work drives and excites me and every professional accomplishment makes me believe that yes, I am good enough and I can do better,” she tells Outlook when asked if she was judged for being a working mother.
 
On a personal note, Neha says that her children are the two most prized possessions and at all times, she would like to maintain that work-life balance. “What people think of me or the opinions people have of me also comes from a place in which they need to channelize their energies in different directions. I want people to know that I’m a mother of two beautiful children and I give my 100 percent because that’s what drives me,” she says.
 
However, she says, when she goes to work, she gives her 100 percent because that’s what drives her. "It's not that I’m doing one thing for another. I don't want anyone to tell my daughter that 'hey, mama’s going to work because of you”' No! I feel it's very important for your children also to know because that’s where your sanity lies and your cut-off point is, that’s what keeps you going. I love being their mother and that’s the most important role of my life, but I also go to work for myself,” she says.
 
Neha, who is married to actor Angad Bedi, has two kids Mehr and Guriq and she performed some impactful roles during her pregnancy.

Talking about facing judgments as a new mom, she says, “Of course, I’ve gone through judgment. For instance, a simple thing like once I went out for an event two months after giving birth. Everyone was asking my husband about his next movie or next project. They looked at me and asked me who was taking care of my child if I was here at the event.”
 
“I am sure many times; I have totally ignored the judgments that have come my way because I’m very unaffected by them,” adds the 42-year-old.

The actor also started an initiative called- Freedom to Feed to normalize the act of breastfeeding in public and the stigma associated with it. The initiative is for mothers to come ahead and make it a conversational platform for sharing their relatable struggles of motherhood in the public eye. The campaign is being supported by Chicnutrix- an all-women’s wellness, beauty, and nutrition brand founded by Shilpa Khanna. They are supporting the campaign by talking about it through communities, and conversations, and sharing information on shared platforms to get the word out there.

From the time she started the Freedom To Feed till now, how Neha the stigma around breastfeeding is changing? “I feel from the time we started Freedom to Feed to now, I have also had two children and I can see that breastfeeding has been normalized in many ways.”
 
“Lots of great conversations have happened. Women are well-read, experienced, and educated. There are offices and airports that have nursing rooms, so a lot has changed in these four years. Has it got a lot to do with us? I would say that maybe we are just a drop in the ocean. There are a lot of other agencies that do the same thing. Has it got a lot to do with people, in general, trying to normalize it? Yes, and I feel that we’re living in a day and age where everyone has a voice and this is every new mum's voice.”
 
Neha also feels that having a following definitely helps in spreading awareness, but it’s also people who believe in them that take it forward. “Freedom to Feed is not just about me. It’s about all the other new mums, new dads, and mommies and daddies in the making. We talk about a lot other than breastfeeding too, so overall, it's a parenting initiative.”
 
For Neha, motherhood is a full-time role but she has other full-time roles too. "The fact that I am working on different brands stuff, working towards getting some shows in place, got another film coming out, a short film coming out. I have a small production company too. So, I feel like I have six full-time jobs,” she says.