Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; May 25, 2018)

She has always lived her life with confidence, spunk and style. She’s not the kind to harp about feminism and gender debates, but her actions speak volumes. The actress tied the knot when her career was smooth sailing and eyes rolled and heads turned disdainfully. But firebrand Kareena Kapoor Khan proved the cynics wrong. Years later, she unabashedly posed for the paps with a baby bump, glowing with pride. And now, while 17-month-old Taimur is wowing everyone with his boundless cuteness quotient, mommy is slaying it in the upcoming buddy film, Veere Di Wedding, which is about four babes and their life, love and friendship. At this point, Kareena seems to be like an unstoppable force of talent. In a chat with BT, she talks about her various roles in life — as a super actress, proud wife and doting mom. Read on…

Veere Di Wedding took off and you got pregnant. The makers didn’t budge and waited for you to resume work. That must be quite flattering for an actress…
When I shared the news of my pregnancy with Rhea (Kapoor, co-producer), I told her that they should go ahead and cast someone else to play my part. I explained to her that I am in a different phase of my life, and that they should just make the movie with another actress. But Rhea was adamant and she told me that she would wait for me. I think that was very brave on her part. At first, when I heard the story, Rhea was apprehensive if I would be interested in doing a film about four friends. I said, ‘Let me just read it’ and when I did that, I totally loved it.

You have not done as many multi-starrers, and reportedly, you had turned down a huge star cast movie like Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), too. And here you are today, doing a film with four ladies. Has there been a change in your thought process when it comes to choosing a film?
Well, Veere… is different as the focus is on four women. It’s something that I have not attempted before. When I read the script, I realised that I wanted to be a part of this world and this style of storytelling. The thing is that you have always seen me in big commercial movies with big heroes, and this is nothing like that. And that is what makes it look so fresh. Today, the audience is ready for a fun and entertaining film; it doesn’t have to be rocket science. Four of us are dramatically different actors and we are also very different people. I’ve known Sonam (Kapoor Ahuja) for really long. I keep teasing Swara (Bhasker) and I tell her that she’s intellectualizing a commercial movie. I tell her, ‘You are such an intellectual’ and she turns around and tells me, ‘Kareena ji, kahan aap aise bol rahey ho.’ Working with all these girls has been so much of fun. Swara’s character in the movie is lovely and she’s a fantastic actress. Shikha (Talsania) is from theatre, she’s also an incredible actor.

In Veere… you girls are swearing,talking about sex, men, et al. Probably, a few years ago, you wouldn’t have done a film like this. Now, with the changing audience, is it easier to take these chances, without fearing scrutiny or being put on a morality meter?
Yes, but this is the kind of audience that we are catering to. Isn’t this how real people and women talk to their friends? When my friend Amu (Amrita Arora Ladak) and I sit down to chat, we casually swear about things, this is just how we converse. I have been in the industry for 18 years, if I have done a film like Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), I have also done a film like Udta Punjab (2016). As an actor, I have always tried to dabble in different kinds of films. A mainstream commercial actress will always think twice before being a part of a film with four girls. She will think… do I have three songs and couple of action scenes? I never thought like that when I read this script. I said I want to do it.

After your pregnancy, you got back into shape and how! Were you ever worried that you would slip into a comfort zone after the baby, hence, you pushed yourself quickly to shed the weight?
I got back into shape, but that has nothing to do with having a baby. That is my nature, I have always been into yoga and fitness, and it’s not new to my life. If you place a plate of pizza and a plate of karele ki sabzi, I will most likely pick the latter. Also, I don’t think I got back into action so fast; my son is 17 months now. I wanted to live my life and I did it. About people talking and criticising… today, people have an opinion about everything. It really doesn’t matter. I don’t live my life for people; I live my life for myself. I don’t care about what they say, so it doesn’t affect my life.

The film subtly focuses on various subjects; one of them is body shaming. Do you think that way too much time is spent discussing and judging women on grounds of physicality? A woman has to look a certain type before marriage, after marriage, while she is pregnant or after she has delivered. It is a constant pressure…
I think women should embrace themselves however they are, whatever size that they are and do what their heart desires. I don’t bother about these trolls and social media. Logon ka dimaag kharab ho gaya hai…with this social media madness. There is this urgency to post this and post that, and then there’s also this need to use beauty apps to look prettier in posts. I think it has all become a big mess and it is a sham. You can’t live your life like that. Your life can’t be about a social media post. It has to be something deeper than that. You need to connect with people and have conversations with them. I am probably more traditional in this respect, but I can’t understand this craze. Even for movie promotions, I am told to wear this and that and click pictures for media promotions. I have to look fabulous for my screen character, right? I ask them why they can’t click a picture of me in my jeans and a tee. How does it matter? I guess that is the way it is now. When you and I are sitting and talking, this is a real chat. Otherwise, how will you even get to know and understand an actor, if we are constantly sitting with our make-up and great clothes, like our on-screen avatars?

In this film, your character Kalindi appears to be commitment-phobic. Usually, men are depicted to be in that situation, and it’s a general belief that men get more anxious about commitment than women. In real life, have you ever been commitment-phobic?
Of course, even women feel the pressure of marriage. Even they have doubts on how it will work out and if they need to follow family rules and things like that. I have never been commitment-phobic in my life; I am quite a sucker for love. In that sense, I am very traditional and different from my character in the film. We have some common traits, too, like she is outspoken, speaks her mind and makes her choices, like I do. But I have never had commitment issues.

For quite some time now, a lot has been spoken about feminism. Everyone seems to have their own version of what feminism means. What’s your take?
I think it’s about believing in equality. Women don’t need to prove that we are superior; of course, we are superior in many ways to men. But that’s not the point here. The whole idea is to talk about equality. I don’t have to scream out loud for women’s rights to prove that I am feminist.

True. The fact that you went back to work after having a baby, or the fact that you are a working mom makes you as much a feminist, as a woman who chooses to be a homemaker, right?
I love being at home and being a homemaker, and I love being on the set as well. When I am at home, it is my time and my space. I don’t want to meet anyone, as its precious time with my family. I love entertaining friends at home and being a wife to Saif, I think that is an amazing feeling. I like travelling the world with him and meeting all his friends. I am proud to be his wife and I’m also proud to be a successful actor. These are two different sides to my life. When I am entertaining friends at home, I am not a star and I don’t always have people from Bollywood over. When I am at home, I’m not an actor, and I am very happy to be known as Mrs. Saif Ali Khan. I will be proud to be that all my life. At the same time, when I walk out of this door where there are photographers waiting for me, I am also Kareena Kapoor Khan. So it’s lovely. This is the way I am and this is the way I am always going to live my life.

Do you find that new-age fathers are more involved with their children and share the responsibility in raising the child, beyond just providing for the family? Saif also seems very involved as a dad…
I think today it is all about supporting each other. Saif and I are both working actors and at times, it gets tough. When I was doing Veere… he was also shooting, but he would try to get back home to be with Taimur. Now, he’s busy shooting for Navdeep Singh’s film, so I know that I can’t shoot a film until he wraps up his in October-November. We have to balance it out and I think it is a great way to do it. Of course, he does get irritated sometimes when I am not home by 6.30 in the evening because he believes this is family time. It is something that we’re both particular about. Sometimes, even he’s shooting till late and I understand, because that is how our profession is. But as long as we can support each other, we know that it will work out fine.

Taimur is a superstar on the internet, there is so much of focus on him now. We guess he will draw more attention as he grows up. Does that perturb you?
We want him to have as normal a life as possible; we can’t take that away from him. It’s his right to have a normal life. We feel awful about the fact that he gets clicked everywhere he goes, but we can’t keep him confined to our house, right? He’s just 17 months old; he shouldn’t be given that kind of focus and attention all the time. Now he reacts to the paparazzi when they call out his name. I know this is reality and I can’t run away from it. In time, he will understand what this is all about, and hopefully, Saif and I will be able to keep it as normal and balanced as possible.