Highlights
Bollywood is a busy industry where actresses are expected to work tirelessly and sometimes even when pregnant, some of the actresses have proved this wrong by continuing to shoot. Starting from Jaya Bachchan who acted during pregnancy and giving birth during the shooting of movies to the modern Bollywood divas such as Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone shooting in international projects during pregnancy, these actresses have shown that they are committed to their work. Their stories show and prove that it is possible to have passion at work and as a mother and it does not matter in which industry, including the film industry.
1.Jaya Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan, a well experienced actress, is also one of the pioneers who worked during her pregnancy in the 1970’s. Jaya was already pregnant with her first child, Amitabh Bachchan at the time she was actively shooting some of her memorable films. Even in 1975 when she was pregnant with her daughter Shweta she was shooting for the evergreen movies like Sholay and Chupke Chupke. Still, people appreciated Jaya’s performances and both the films became classics with her strenuous physical scenes. She did not stop her work to pave way for future actresses to also follow suit without interruption even during pregnancy.
2.Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla is another good example of dedication when in early 2000 she acted in the movie One Two Ka Four during her pregnancy. Juhi, who got married to industrialist Jay Mehta in 1995, was pregnant with her first child, daughter Jahnavi during the shooting. Nevertheless she managed her pregnancy and her work very well to prove her dedication to her work. Juhi’s story was inspiring to many as she had to balance her work while preparing to be a mother.
3.Kareena Kapoor Khan
Kareena Kapoor Khan has always set a style statement in Bollywood and the same was followed when she embraced pregnancy. During pregnancy, Kareena was shooting for the film Laal Singh Chaddha, she was pregnant with her second child Jehangir Ali Khan. She insisted on working till the end of the project even though she was pregnant and five-and-a-half months pregnant to be precise. Kareena’s decision to work during pregnancy was appreciated by many because it showed the capability of the woman to handle all the challenges that are associated with her personal as well as professional life.
4.Deepika Padukone
Bollywood’s one of the most successful actresses, Deepika Padukone in the recent past came in news for continuing work even during pregnancy. When Deepika was shooting the last scenes of the much talked about sci-fi movie Kalki 2898 AD, she was pregnant with her first child to her actor husband Ranveer Singh. The couple revealed that she is pregnant in February 2024 and it is believed that Deepika will be delivering in September. This decision to carry on working during this period of her life shows her commitment to her work and the fact that pregnancy should not be an excuse for one to stop working.
5.Alia Bhatt
Another talent of Bollywood who was not afraid to work during her pregnancy is Alia Bhatt. Alia was expecting her daughter Raha with actor-husband Ranbir Kapoor in 2022; she also wrapped up her first Hollywood movie ‘Heart of Stone’. The Netflix film with Gal Gadot also meant that Alia had to work in an international film set while she was still in the early months of pregnancy. This is something that shows she is so professional as well as passionate in her acting career and the way she is able to balance between these responsibilities.
6.Neha Dhupia
Another inspiring story is Neha Dhupia who had to go through the journey of pregnancy while working for films. In 2022, Neha disclosed that she was eight months pregnant when shooting for A Thursday which is helmed by Behzad Khambata and stars Yami Gautam. Thanks to Neha, many women can set an example of how it is possible to give birth to a child and continue acting as a heroine on the big screen. The case of a woman shows that despite being pregnant, women should not be discouraged from continuing with their careers.
