Bollywood actor, producer and now mother-to-be, Anushka Sharma in a recent interview with Vogue, has elaborated on her experience with pregnancy.
Currently in the last stretch of pregnancy, Sharma could be seen promoting two of her production ventures in the first trimester. These included her critically-acclaimed series Pataal Lok and the feminist supernatural film Bulbbul.
In November, after returning from Dubai – where her husband Virat Kohli was playing in the Indian Premier League – images of a glowing Sharma surfaced on-set shooting various endorsements (including those for home pregnancy kit Prega News) were doing the rounds.
But for now, Sharma is directing her energy towards preparing a nursery and setting up the home for the baby. “I’m in forced nesting mode,” she laughed. “Whether you are pregnant or not, I think everyone has been forced into it this year,” she said, adding that like with all her previous homes, friends Vishakha and Muninder Chowdhry have helped her with the interiors and design.
Meticulous as always, Sharma’s planning and persistence to be prepared will give anyone the confidence that her animal-themed nursery is in fact, complete. “I just want to be prepared. Everything is slower because of the times we are living in and I don’t like to rush things. This time in my life, even more so,” she said. “I want the nursery to be very calm. It’s the place where you spend the most amount of time, where you are bonding with your baby, so it has to be peaceful.”
Debunking gender-based stereotypes Sharma added, “I don’t believe that boys have to wear blue and girls pink. The nursery has all colours.” As for keeping it animal-themed, Sharma has long been vocal when it comes to animal rights. Her animal shelter on the outskirts of Mumbai is currently in the works too. She and Kohli are determined that their child be exposed to the magic of this relationship early on. “Both Virat and I love animals and we want our baby to have that bond too. They are a big part of our lives and we really believe they can teach kindness and compassion to children.”
Pandemic-ridden pregnancy
Pregnant women are immune-compromised, and as doctors and experts grapple with the effects of Covid-19, for expecting women, the pandemic only heightens the experience. About the risks, Sharma remarked “We’re all used to it now, no? It feels somewhat normal to stay indoors. But I have had to be a lot more careful. It was good to travel to Dubai and stay in a secure bubble—probably the safest in the world at that time— but yes, I’m only seeing my parents now, and I haven’t met my friends for the longest time.”
Although Sharma has often displayed affection for solitude, even she confessed to missing a sense of community—the sisterhood that motherhood brings. “When you are expecting, you connect with people you never thought you would. Honestly, all the women in my life, not only my close friends, have been so kind, so helpful in reaching out. I do have friends who have babies, but they don’t live in Mumbai, so being able to discuss things—the overwhelming emotions, whether I’m behaving normal or hormonal... For all those questions, you have to have that circle. I think it’s really underrated, that ‘sisterhood’.”
For a couple with such demanding schedules, Sharma’s pregnancy and the pandemic seems to have given the duo a chance to be together. “The pandemic has been a weird blessing in a way. Virat was around and I could keep it a secret. We only left to go to the doctor’s clinic. No one was on the streets so we couldn’t be spotted,” she recalled.
But as with many women, Sharma’s first trimester was a blur of nausea and exhaustion. “Smells would revolt me; I couldn’t go near the kitchen. I swear I could smell people’s skin. I thought it was never going to end,” she recalled. “I didn’t think I could feel so tired. I am an active person and it was startling, but even when you’re in pain, or uncomfortable, you are still thinking: have I eaten at the right time? Is the baby okay?”
Elaborating on the kind of delicacies she desired, Sharma recalled not being able to consume much initially to eventually craving some exotic street food. “I was eating only toast and crackers for the first three months. But when they ended, I wanted to eat vada pao and bhel puri. But that [spell] didn’t last long either. So no real cravings,” she said with a smile.
On her doctor’s advice, Sharma, who’s already a healthy eater, said “I am someone who likes to read a lot and research a great deal; I’ve chewed my doctor’s brain. So many times we don’t have enough knowledge… It’s what you are told by family members, but somewhere, it’s important to have a medical perspective rather than just follow beliefs and patterns. The first thing my doctor told me is that the biggest myth is eating for two.”
Consulted by Bengaluru-based nutritionist Ryan Fernando, Sharma was prescribed a nutrition plan similar to what she followed pre-pregnancy: gluten-free and vegetarian. She’s been staying active with walks and yoga, and while in Dubai, a little swimming.
Raising parents
As for stepping into the holy grail of parenting, Sharma revealed her friends warned her about the surprises parenting can bring. “Times have changed. It’s important for children to look at parents—they learn from you. And there is a sense of normalcy that both of us work. Of course, one will have to manage things differently and more efficiently.”
So Sharma’s candour on the challenges of balancing a career in overdrive with the demands of parenthood is noteworthy. “We don’t see it as mum and dad duties, but as a family unit. For us, it’s important that our child be raised with a very balanced outlook. It is all about shared duties. I will be the primary caregiver, especially in the first few years, and that’s the reality. I am self-employed and I can decide when I am working if I do one or two films a year. In Virat’s case, he plays round the year. What becomes important is the time we spend together as a family.”
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