Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji on motherhood: 'I now understand what love and sacrifice is'

Bollywood Actress Rani Mukerji said motherhood taught her "what love [is and what] sacrifice is in its true sense," during a talk in Singapore on Friday, 8 November 2019.

The 41-year-old actress is in town for The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave 2019 where she was one of the guests speakers as a leader in Bollywood entertainment.

Rani Mukerji talks career and motherhood during Singapore visit

Rani, who is a mother of 1, spoke about juggling motherhood and working in the industry. 

"For me to leave [my daughter] and go for a shoot was completely a different experience then when I was single and when I went to a film shoot."

"Actually the first day of the shoot when I actually left home, I was bawling in the car," she recalled.

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"I was like going through emotions of guilt and emotions of being scared as a mum that what would happen to my child that I'm leaving behind. So the film had to be really really special for me to be able to leave my baby home and go to the film set," she said during the talk.

Rani took a 2-year hiatus after welcoming her first child Adira with husband Aditya Chopra.

She then came back to the silver screen in 2018 for the critically-acclaimed film "Hichki."

There, Rani Mukerji starred as a school teacher changes the lives of underprivileged students, all while battling her own challenges as a person living with Tourette's Syndrome.

"Adira became the most important focus point in my life. Probably, if I had her earlier in life, my 20s I would have been a little more career oriented," she said.

"Luckily for me the director understood my plight so they shot the film in just 36 days and we shot only for six hours a day but we got really good quality of work out of the six hours."

The actress had already previously said that when doing films, it "has to be in accordance to Adira's schedule."

"I want to be part of every milestone in Adira's life and ensure that I don't miss any of it. These are the moments that will never comeback and I will cherish them forever." 

It can also be remembered that the actress said she is open to having a second child.

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Just last year, Rani was quoted, saying: "Of course, there is a plan to have another child. Adira needs to have company."

But this doesn't mean the actress plans on taking another hiatus.

When asked what her next plans are, Rani said: "I think many more films, many more interesting films and my only prayer is that my audience is happy with the work that I do and they're inspired and I should be more inspired to take up so and so and always praying that there are more writers who will come up with more inspiring stories. Producers who are ready to produce such film and they come to me and we can present that to the audience."

This article was first published in theAsianparent.