Anita Hassanandani says she would opt for limited work hours like Deepika Padukone: ‘Every parent wants to work lesser’

Actor Anita Hassanandani is all set to participate in Zee TV’s reality show Choriyaan Chali Gaon. On the show, Anita, along with 10 other contestants, will be staying in a village for two and a half months, taking part in rural activities. During a conversation on SCREEN’s Dear Me, Anita shared that saying yes to the show was a difficult decision as a mother, as she would deeply miss her son Aarav. She also expressed a wish to work shorter hours, similar to Deepika Padukone’s recent request to the makers of Spirit.

Talking about challenges that modern parenting comes with, Anita said, “As parents, we are overprotecting our children. This generation does so much that sometimes I fear that we don’t end up with the kids having phobias. I have been wanting to do work hours like Deepika Padukone. Every parent wants to work less so that they can spend more time with their child and watch every phase of them growing up. So, definitely I would look for fewer working hours, having a few days off in the week. Initially, I didn’t want to work. Nobody asked me to do it, but I just wanted to be with Aarav every second of my life.”

Also Read: Anita Hassanandani says she was ‘completely awestruck’ by Aishwarya Rai during Taal shoot: ‘She was gorgeous to another level’

Story continues below this ad

Commenting on the concept of shelf life, especially for a female actor, Anita said, “If you are a good actor, there is no shelf life. You can play different characters. But actresses do have a pretty short shelf life. For male actors like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, there is no end to it. On TV, getting back after a break is a problem. The industry is already assuming things after you become a mother. So even before you can say you don’t want to work, they assume that you will be busy and you won’t take up work. People think that work has taken a backseat and you wouldn’t want to get back.”

Also Read | Anita Hassanandani reveals she was only getting offered negative roles during her 5 years long hiatus: ‘Once you play a negative role on TV it is very difficult’

Pointing out that age also plays a crucial role, Anita said you need to be in a position like Alia Bhatt if you want to bounce back smoothly. “If you are in a position like an Alia Bhatt who delivered a child and in three months she was working on Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, it’s different. On TV, it’s not so instant, you have to slog and come back out there. You have to be fit again, and also be ready.”

Nawaz Javed Kochra

Nawaz Kochra is an enthusiastic entertainment journalistic for the last 9 years, he has been a known face and successfully worked with some big publications. At IndianExpress.com, Nawaz majorly covers TV and OTT and also does video interviews. Having the best conversations with celebrities is what Nawaz loves. ... Read More