After more than three decades in the industry, Shilpa Shetty Kundra says she has become increasingly selective about the projects she takes on, particularly as she balances her professional commitments with motherhood.

Speaking about her upcoming reality-format show Zee 5's Maa Hai Na, she says the concept appealed to her because of its focus on the relationship between mothers and children.

“This didn’t entail too much of my time. The beauty of doing reality TV is that you are able to film very fun content. I loved the fact that there was this angle of the bond between mothers and children — people who maybe haven’t been able to express themselves fully — finding that space through this show. We thought we’d just laugh through the show, but while filming, we all cried. There were moments where children were expressing things they had never said to their mothers before, and that was very beautiful to witness,” she shares.

Over the years, Shilpa has worn many hats — actress, television personality, entrepreneur and wellness advocate. More recently, projects such as Sukhee and Indian Police Force have seen her return to acting-focused roles.

When asked if she feels she has received due recognition as an actress and she says, “If audiences still expect more from me after 32 years, I genuinely take that as a compliment because it means they’re not bored of me yet. I had no formal acting training. I’m South Indian and honestly the first several years of my career went into just learning the language and understanding cinema. I think becoming an actor was destiny for me. In the ‘90s cinema was different and I carved my own niche through glamour, dance and screen presence. But today audiences and cinema have evolved. So, the fact that I can still remain relevant today feels like a blessing,” she says.

Despite her longevity in the industry, Shilpa says she continues to approach acting with the same commitment.

“I don’t know whether I’m a great actor or not. But I know that if someone comes to me with a role, I will give it everything I have. Acting is not a mere chore for me. It gave me recognition, fame, love and audiences who stood by me for years. So whatever I do now feels like an ode to them. Big role, small role — those things don’t matter to me anymore. What matters is whether the collaboration excites me creatively and whether I can entertain people honestly.”

Three decades into the spotlight, Shilpa Shetty Kundra continues to juggle multiple roles — actor, entrepreneur, television personality and mother. In a conversation with us, the actress talks about how society places too much emphasis on age, raising children in the digital era and the woman she credits for shaping her outlook on life, her mother.

At a time when discussions around ageing, beauty standards and relevance continue to dominate narratives around women, especially in showbiz, Shilpa has a simple perspective. As she prepares to turn 51, she says, “I think too much importance is given to age in this country. When you watch Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, are you thinking about her age? When you watch Jennifer Lopez perform on stage, are you thinking about her age? No! For me, it’s not about how you choose to age; it’s about how you choose to live. I choose to give my body and mind discipline and, along with care and time – that reflects outwardly.”

Few actors have lived through the kind of scrutiny that Shilpa has over the years. Every day, a new controversy around her husband, Raj Kundra, makes headlines. Yet, she has consistently managed to appear composed in public — something she attributes not to strength alone, but discipline.

She says, “We all go through highs and lows in life. Yes, I’m also an actor, even if something is troubling me personally, I’m not being paid to show that on my face while I’m working. That is reserved for my private space and for the people who are my safe space. My attitude has always been very positive. If I step out for work, I want to do it to the best of my ability, regardless of what’s happening in my personal life. That work ethic comes from my parents. Both of them worked extremely hard and we only really saw them on weekends because they were constantly working for us.”

She adds, “I have absolutely been an overthinker. Yoga changed my life completely. It changed the way I think. Human beings constantly overthink. We’re always worrying about what if this happens next week or next month. And then half the things we spend months worrying about never even happen. I would waste so much time fretting. Yoga just made me more mindful and aware.”

Shilpa is soon going to be seen in a reality show Zee 5's Maa Hai Na, so naturally the conversation drifts towards motherhood — both as a daughter and now as a parent.

Talking about her bond with her mother, she says, “Every day I thank God for having her in my life. Even back in the day, people knew that if they wanted to mess with me, they’d have to deal with my mom first. She was my original momager. Even if professionally, I had managers, the rules were set by my mother. Shamita and I are both strong-willed because we’ve inherited that strength from her. She was a working woman who balanced family and career beautifully, and that was incredibly inspiring to watch while growing up.”

While she speaks lovingly about the simplicity of her own childhood, Shilpa admits parenting today comes with a completely different set of realities. Reflecting on raising children in the digital age, she says, “You can’t compare the current times we are in with the era we grew up in. We grew up very simply. If we needed information, we went and asked our parents. Today, kids have Google and AI. It’s fascinating and scary at the same time because this generation is very aware. Their perception and opinions are far more evolved than what we were at that age. My son is 14, and he can genuinely have conversations on a variety of topics and hold his own. The biggest difference I see is that we as parents, today give our children the space to have opinions. Back then, if we had opinions, our parents would just say, ‘We don’t care. Do what we say.’ And somehow that worked too.”

It’s Mother’s Day, and what better time to talk about the new reality show Maa Hai Na and the mothers starring in it? After making guest appearances on screen over the past two years and sparking public curiosity, Sunita Ahuja, wife of actor Govinda, is set to make her reality show debut with the upcoming Zee5 series.

Ahuja will participate in the celebrity cooking show alongside daughter Tina Ahuja. The series, hosted by Shilpa Shetty Kundra, is scheduled to stream in June.

Having already started shooting for the show, Ahuja tells mid-day her decision stems from a desire to create her own identity. “My honourable husband Govinda told me, ‘Go ahead and work. But don’t use my name to get ahead in life.’ I want to stand on my own feet without anyone’s support.”

Despite competing with several popular faces, Ahuja says she feels no pressure. “I don’t find anything challenging in life. Whatever I do I make sure it’s top notch,” she says

Asked whether she is open to more reality shows, Ahuja replies in her trademark candid style, “I have understood in the last two years that money is important, not love. Pyaar karke dekhliya 40 saal. Now, whatever work I will do, I will do it for money. So, I am open to doing any kind of show.”