Aishwarya Rai Bachchan…
…on motherhood and movies
Published in Vogue India (print issue), April 2018
Image: Vogue India April 2018 cover story
We’ve been trying to track you for an interview for weeks now, and finally we meet. What’s a day in the life of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?
It’s busy. In the superlative. I spend all my time with Aaradhya, and I have one nanny, by choice. I read comments saying, “Ah, she must have an army of help” and I understand the perception, but I choose this way, which means life is always busy. I respect homemakers for the endless work they do. As far as downtime goes, it’s about perspective—if you believe you’re tired, you will be, so I choose to find pleasure in the moment and experience the present for what it is. I’m a firm believer of the state of the mind, and that’s the means to keep your head above a high level of water, every day. That’s something I’m imparting to Aaradhya—that B-positive is not just a blood group and that everything in life is a learning curve. Experience life in the moment, because you’re going to have to live with your experience.
How was the transition to “working mom” and what does this phase of your career mean to you?
When I got married, it was interesting to discover that everything was continuing as it were—script discussions and business meetings. I wanted to keep it going, because it meant there was a sense of change in our otherwise-conservative industry. Likewise, with motherhood, I worked from the beginning, but it was on endorsements, charity work, and business ideas—I have time to UNAIDS that I couldn’t as an active actor. I starred in my first film when Aaradhya was three. I never “stopped working”: I just wasn’t on screen.
And we’re going to see you in Fanney Khan next. Tell us about your upcoming projects.
In Fanney Khan, I’m playing a chapter in the narrative that I believe is intrinsic to the story. I’ve been approached for the remake of Raat Aur Din, which is a great opportunity, and what’s funny is while filming Shabd, Sanju Sir (Sanjay Dutt) said he’d have loved for me to play the part, and I was very touched. We’re still working out the details. I’ve also been approached for the remake of Woh Kaun Thi?
Even after two decades in showbiz, you’ve managed to steer clear of social media. Will we ever see you on Instagram?
I’m not remotely averse to social media, but when it first began it became a bit of a rat race of numbers, and I’ve never been into that. Also social media is addictive—people use it to hide from, and lose the human connect. It is, however, the present and the future—it’s great for connecting with fans, for voicing important issues and a great business tool for brands. I do recognize its value, and if I feel the need I’ll embrace it—transparently and honestly.
You inspire multitudes and are part of the first family of Indian cinema. But do you have any role models or dream roles?
This will sound like a line from a film but I’m just a regular girl… Abhishek’s my husband and Aaradhya’s my child. My mother is the only one I know inside out, so as a role model she’s the only one I choose to name—and it’s her values I’m imbibing consciously and subconsciously while raising my daughter. I’ve never shared dream roles… because what if someone writes it for you? Then what? You’ll have nothing to look forward to.
From purple lips at Cannes to best-dressed lists around the world—you’ve always been ahead of the curve. What lessons can you give the debutantes?
Red-carpet events are a part of our public life—it’s familiar turf. I dress according to my role at, and the nature of, the event. With Cannes, I represent a cosmetics brand, and the atmosphere allows creativity to take flight. You should have fun and enjoy fashion like art—bring a bit of yourself to it, and work in tandem with the creative team. When we did the purple lips, we were having fun, not trying to set a trend. But look at fashion spreads and beauty trends today—they’re all about colour! I’m largely associated with classic, traditional choices, so it became a big talking point at the time. But for me, this isn’t my first and last time—I like to try out different things.
From the day I chose to step into showbiz, I’ve survived by holding on to who I am—my own best friend and brutal critic. The same way, for the younger lot, if you’re willing to work hard every day, give what you have and work at creating your own identity, you’ll be okay. There are always role models for inspirations, so get inspired, but be yourself. However, it’s also important to remind yourself that you’re riding the crest that you are not the fulcrum of existence, and the world cannot revolve around I, me, myself as the axis. Crests and troughs are all learning curves, and you’ve got to learn how to ride the wave.
