Less than two months after Kareena Kapoor Khan gave birth to Taimur, she walked the ramp for Anita Dongre at the Lakme Fashion Week 2017. She spoke about motherhood and more with Mid-Day, Excerpts:
On pregnancy
“Pregnancy is not an illness. Now, I have to just walk the ramp. It’s something I love doing and I am never going to stop myself from doing what my heart wants. I know it has just been 46 days (since Taimur was born) and many might look at (motherhood) as an excuse to hide, just because they aren’t in the best shape. But I am not one to get conscious with skinny models around. What I am going to do requires courage and I have the confidence to pull it off. In India, women are conditioned to hide themselves away till they get back to the ‘right’ size. I feel it’s fine to be out there. Everyone knows I have just had a baby. I may not be size zero right now but as long as I look great, I can take that walk.”
“(My example) will hopefully inspire girls to know how to balance marriage, career, and a baby, and do a damn good job at it. In the West, it is common for women to work until the last week of pregnancy. Here, things are different only because no one has done this before. But, I didn’t do anything with the purpose of bringing about a change. I did what I felt was normal. Having a baby is a natural progression in every woman’s life. I am happy people are getting inspired, but I was not trying to set an example. I was just living life by my rules and I will always do that.”
On motherhood
“Being a mother feels great. This will be the best phase of my life. The only thing that I have realized in the past month is that my heart is not in me anymore. It’s beating outside of me. Seeing your baby and holding him in your arms is the best feeling in the world, and Taimur holds my heartbeat now. Everything in life revolves around him. I managed to take out some time for the show. Yes, my sleep timings have gone haywire, but the feeling of being a mom is so worth it. I have always looked forward to becoming a mother and now that I am, I hold it close.”
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On maternity leave
“I take to the ramp each season. Lakme has been ever so supportive. When they approached me during pregnancy, they didn’t expect I would say yes. Even now, they weren’t expecting me to do it. But I like throwing bombs at people. My family is supportive and I have managed to be myself only because they have backed me.”
On husband Saif Ali Khan
“He is an amazing father. He is absolutely hands-on and has a hang of things because he has done it before. Saif is a pro and does everything without any help. You know, there is an intensity with which Taimur looks at him, unlike me. They have already bonded.”
On the controversy surrounding her baby’s name
“I have no idea why people took my baby’s name so personally. But, we love the name and let me put it this way — it has no resemblance to any person living or dead. We love the meaning and I am happy that (some) people came out in support of us so strongly. That support matters more than anything bad that was said or written.”
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