Kajal Aggarwal opens up about balancing motherhood and work

Kajal Aggarwal, gearing up for the release of *Indian 2*, recently shared her experiences of returning to work just two months after giving birth to her son, Neil.

In an interview with journalist Prema on her YouTube channel, Kajal discussed the challenges of balancing motherhood and her acting career, particularly while filming for Shankar’s highly anticipated film Indian 2, alongside Kamal Haasan.

“I shot for Indian 2 just two months postpartum. I was horse riding and doing Kalarippayattu; it was excruciatingly painful. Shankar sir was extremely understanding and tried to adjust my schedule, but I had to finish the film. It was the toughest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I took my baby along when we shot near Tirupati because I was still feeding him. I would pump between shots and would send milk back to his room,” Kajal said.

Kajal, who is also promoting her film Satyabhama, spoke about the separation anxiety and 'mom guilt' she experienced upon returning to work.

She revealed that she sought therapy and took anti-depressants to manage her anxiety and negative emotions. “You feel bad, insecure, threatened, scared, nervous, you feel all of that in double intensity. I took therapy to deal with it and was on anti-depressants when it was safe to take them. Nothing much changed after I got married but motherhood changed me as a person. Having a baby is challenging.” Despite the difficulties, she emphasized her commitment to prioritizing her family, stating, “My husband (Gautam) can always reach me, no matter how busy I am. I have maintained that from day one.”

Discussing her work break during pregnancy, Kajal mentioned that she only took a break during her first trimester, soon realizing she wasn’t meant to sit idle as she had been working since she was 16 years old. She also noted that she shot for an ad just a few days after giving birth. Kajal highlighted the bias against married female actors in the film industry, but also acknowledged that things are slowly changing.

As Indian 2, also known as Indian 2: Zero Tolerance, prepares for its July 12 release, fans eagerly anticipate seeing Kajal back in action. The film, which began production in 2019, faced several delays due to an on-set accident, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent announcement of a new release date. With the tagline Zero Tolerance, Indian 2 promises an action-packed experience with Kamal Haasan reprising his role as Senapathy from the original 1996 blockbuster.