Showing posts with label Juhi Parmar interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Juhi Parmar interview. Show all posts
While society is becoming more open to single parenting, there’s still judgement-Juhi Parmar
8:32 AM
She is among the most popular bahus of the small screen. Juhi Parmar aka Kumkum has also won Bigg Boss and anchored reality shows. But the 44-year-old introduces herself as ‘A mother first then an actress’ on the Gram. Parmar, who has been raising her 12-year-old daughter Samairra with the help of her parents since her divorce in 2018, spoke to Neha Bhayana about working-mom guilt, and why single parenting is a balancing act
Neha Bhayana (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 13, 2025)
Acting or parenting — which one is tougher?
For me, both acting and parenting are rewarding, not challenging or tough. I have enjoyed every moment of being an actor and a parent and continue to cherish every step of this path. When you love what you do, it never feels like work. Acting is my passion, and parenting is the most important role of my life. I’m deeply invested in raising Samairra with values that will help her contribute to society. There’s never been a reason to stress, as she’s always been a wonderful, compassionate, and kind-hearted child. Her generosity, talent and bright intellect shine through in everything she does. Not just mine, but she is her teachers’ favourite too, excelling in both academics and extracurriculars. For me, it’s been nothing but pure pride and joy.
Samairra will be a teen next year. The toddler years or the adolescent phase — which is trickier to manage?
Every stage of parenting comes with its own challenges, from raising an infant to a toddler to guiding a teenager. Yet, one thing remains constant — the incredible reward of shaping another human being for the world. My daughter has made every phase of her childhood a sheer joy for me, and I’ve never seen it as something to manage. Instead, it’s been a series of cherished memories that will always be the highlights of my life.
Working in the television industry entails long hours on the sets daily. Is it difficult to balance your career and motherhood?
The balancing can be challenging, but for me, it was made easier by the unwavering support of my parents, especially during Samairra’s early years. When I would go to work, I had peace of mind knowing she was in safe hands. The toughest part was dealing with the emotional strain of being away from her and ‘mom-guilt’ which many working mothers experience. Trust me, it’s the worst part of being a working mother but you remind yourself that there will be a day when your child will be proud of having an independent mother. And, especially as I am a girl-mom, I wanted her to see the importance of being an independent woman so that she becomes one someday. In my case, I have always known that being a single parent, I am working hard for her future, for our future together and I knew this is the right choice.
Strict or soft — what’s your parenting style?
As a single parent, I must strike a balance between being both strict and nurturing, as I am playing the roles of both mother and father. There’s no ‘good cop, bad cop’ dynamic — it’s about knowing when to be firm for her well-being and when to offer love and comfort to her sensitive heart. It’s a constant balancing act, not just between work and personal life, but in finding the right approach as a parent.
Raising a child is difficult even for two parents. What challenges do you face as a single mom?
They say there’s a silver lining in every cloud and rather than worrying about the challenges, I like to look at the positives. I get double the love from her. Every day, she fills my heart with love. I once read somewhere that ‘sometimes a mother and her children are a complete family’ and in our case, Samairra and I are truly one complete family.
Our society is not always kind to single parents. People can be inquisitive and insensitive. Have you faced any issues?
No one has ever approached me directly with insensitive questions, but I do have to face harsh and insensitive comments on social media platforms on and off. But I don’t give any importance to negative people who don’t know the truth or my personal life. I don’t feel the need to respond. If needed, I simply delete and move on. I won’t let anyone disrupt my positive state of mind.
Over the past decade, several single celebrities have had children via adoption or surrogacy and people are more open about divorce too. Has single parenthood gained acceptance?
While society is becoming more open to single parenting, there’s still judgement, especially towards those who become single parents due to divorce. Change takes time, but any progress is progress. I believe in focusing on the positives, and with each generation, I’m confident there will be more acceptance. A child needs both parents, but more than that, a child needs a happy parent. Instead of judging single parents, we should be kind and supportive, as they’re taking on the responsibilities of two.
Do marks matter to you? Are you strict about studies?
Marks are important, but I never pressure her to outperform others or make comparisons. I always tell her that her only competition is herself. She’s bright and does well in exams, but I emphasize that her focus should be on excelling by tapping into her potential and doing her best. As long as she gives her best effort, the result doesn’t matter to me. I’m proud knowing she’s done her best.
Samairra is often part of your reels. Does she use social media too? As she is growing up, how will you teach her to stay safe online?
Samairra and I love to dance. Making reels is just a fun way for us to spend time together. She doesn’t use social media, even though she has an account managed by me. I save videos like cute animal clips or motivational ones, and sometimes we watch them together for fun or life lessons. She doesn’t have access to social media right now, but when she’s older, I’ll teach her about its pros and cons and make sure she stays safe online.
Do you believe in being friends with your child?
Absolutely. Why not be a friend to your child? A friend is someone you can trust, care for, and enjoy being around. A friend is someone who offers support and understanding. Samairra and I call each other best friends because we truly embody what it means to be one.
There is a new trend of gentle parenting these days. Does it work or is old-school discipline more effective?
Balanced parenting is my answer. While firmness is sometimes necessary, it is crucial to remember that children think differently from adults. Gentle explanations are far more effective than harsh or violent methods which can lead to long-term trauma.
What are the values that your parents taught you that you wish to pass on to your daughter?
I was raised with the value of honesty, and I’ve passed that lesson on to Samairra. Honesty is the greatest virtue because it builds trust and credibility. When you’re honest, you earn respect from others and yourself. Your words hold real weight. It’s a lesson I deeply cherish, and one I’ve already instilled in her.
I am not being judgemental, but are plunging necklines and skimpy clothing required all the time?-Juhi Parmar
8:21 AM
Hasti Doshi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 22, 2022)
Juhi Parmar never holds back, she freely expresses her opinions on various issues on social media. Recently, the actress sparked off a debate when she said that some women were dressing in a way which was as good as undressing. She didn’t take any names, but shared a series of questions pertaining to this topic and asked her followers to share their opinions.
When we asked Juhi what prompted her to do this, she said, “When you scroll through social media, there are always a handful of posts which have girls not dressed in the best manner. Wearing a bikini on a beach is fine, but why does one need to flaunt a bikini all the time? In fact, there are some people who I will not name, but who have literally taken to the streets with absolute minimal clothing. I understand that we are living in a generation where one can wear what they want to, but there has to be some kind of a line drawn.”
Didn’t she fear being dubbed intrusive or regressive for her stand? She said, “I was always prepared for people calling me regressive, and even using terms like aunty and old-fashioned, but I really want to question what modernism actually means. Is dressing hideously or inappropriate dressing only considered being modern? I am not being judgemental, but are plunging necklines and skimpy clothing required all the time?”
She added, “Some people online even said that if I had that kind of body, I may have also done the same, but I would like to tell them that even when I was a 17-year-old with the best body, I never did such a thing. Also, getting into that shape even today is not tough for me. I can work on it, but I will still not do anything of that sort. ”
My daughter Samairra is my biggest strength-Juhi Parmar
8:33 AM
Sonil Dedhia (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 10, 2020)
“My shoulders are strong enough to be a single parent,” says Juhi Parmar, 39, who has been staying with daughter Samairra, after the actor’s separation from Sachin Shroff two years back.
“I think the biggest challenge of being a single parent is dealing with the guilt of not being able to be with your child as much as you would want to. Maintaining the work-life balance gets difficult but I am grateful to my parents who have been there and taken care of my daughter when I am not around,” says the actor of Kumkum: Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan fame.
Just like most of us, the lockdown has allowed the actor to spend quality time with her kid. “We try and engage in a lot of activities. For instance, I have never baked a cake in my life but since the Coronavirus lockdown, I have done it thrice as Samairra loves cake. I also came up with a makeshift salon where I gave my dad a haircut and did the eyebrows for my mother,” says Parmar, adding that her daughter has been her biggest source of inspiration.
“My daughter is the reason I’m able to look forward to life every day. I want to set an example for her so that when she grows up, she can confidently say that she is proud of her mother. Sachin and I have moved on, believing not to carry any grudges or have any animosity. We are all in a happy space where our daughter doesn’t feel any vacuum,” the actor signs off.
Incompatibility drew us apart. Sachin Shroff and I could never be on the same page-Juhi Parmar
7:55 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; January 3, 2018)
The year that went by witnessed several celebrity break-ups. One marriage that fell apart was that of television actors Juhi Parmar and Sachin Shroff, who tied the knot in 2009. After living separately for about a year, the estranged couple filed for divorce on December 20.
Talking exclusively to BT, Juhi says, “We have sought divorce by mutual consent and our daughter Samairra’s custody is going to be with me. I was very clear right from the start that I will be her sole custodian. Our marriage didn’t work from the beginning. Incompatibility drew us apart; we could never be on the same page. Our backgrounds, mindsets, outlook and expectations from life were completely different. We tried our best, but our differences were irrevocable.”
She adds, “I have not asked for any alimony because I am capable of taking care of myself. I just told Sachin to contribute towards child support so that we can secure Samairra’s future; as parents, it’s our collective responsibility."
Juhi says that she didn’t want her five-year-old daughter Samairra to get affected by her parents’ troubled marriage. “We decided that it was best to part ways, because a harmonious atmosphere is a must for a child. She is too young to understand what’s happening in our lives. However, Sachin’s absence isn’t a new thing for Samairra as we have been separated many times. There have been times when Sachin has not been home and she is used to not seeing him around. However, she does ask about him at times,” she says.
The actress is upset about the rumours doing the rounds that the marriage reached its nadir because of her foul temper. She says, “I do not have a foul temper. I’m just a transparent person who calls a spade a spade and I’m proud of being an honest and fearless person in today’s times. People are writing loosely, assuming that it’s the reason for our divorce. It is my request to all of them to stop judging. What happens between two people, only they will know. A marriage — successful or failed — involves two people and not one. It is easy to blame it on one person based on hearsay and jump to conclusions. I don’t want people to write baseless rumours because when my daughter grows up and reads these stories, she will be hurt. I also read somewhere that the reason for this marriage falling through is distance, as I started living in Umergaon for the shoot of my show. Isn’t that a trivial reason for a marriage to end? We started living separately even before I shifted to Umergaon. I stepped out of my house to work because I have to run my home and take care of my daughter.”
It was work that kept Juhi going during the trying times. The actress, who is currently seen on Karmphal Data Shani, says, “The show has given me the strength to cope with this phase. It kept me busy and gave me a break from the atmosphere at home. My career is my focus today; I am working for my daughter and not for name or fame. I am trying to strike a balance between working and spending quality time with her. My parents have been a great support. They moved to Mumbai from Jaipur for me.”
With one failed marriage, is she averse to love and tying the knot again? “I am a hopeless romantic and I trust people very easily, which has never worked in my favour. I am hopeful that only good things will come my way from now on, and that includes love, too. When you get married, you never expect it to fall apart. I have grown up seeing the beautiful relationship my parents share and I have always believed that marriages happen only once. But all my beliefs shattered during the course of my own marriage. My experience has taught me a lot. Now, I don’t have any expectations; I take each day as it comes,” she signs off.
Despite repeated attempts, Sachin remained unavailable for comment.
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