Shraddha Arya, who welcomed twin babies — a boy named Shaurya and a girl named Siya — in November last year, is already back at work. Though she may have hoped for a longer break after embracing motherhood, the actress recently returned to reprise her Kundali Bhagya character, Preeta, in Kumkum Bhagya.
“Getting back to work was a refreshing change,” says Shraddha, who returned to the sets last month. She adds, “It’s a very refreshing shift from what I’ve been doing for the last so many months. Since I’m back so quickly, it doesn’t feel like I ever left. I reconnected with the character immediately — like I was almost living it even when I was away.”
At a time when many women struggle to have their working conditions adjusted post-maternity, the actress reveals she’s only working weekends. She shares, “That makes me appreciate my time with the babies during the week even more. They are really small and need a lot of attention. Although I have a very good support system, I obviously don’t want to be away for too long. It’s very adjusting and kind of Ekta Kapoor ma’am and the entire Kumkum Bhagya team.”
She adds, “Even when I fell sick three months into my pregnancy, they would send a team home for the shoot. Now they call me only on weekends because that suits my schedule as a mom. When I sit in the car, play music I love — it’s like meeting that woman I was before I delivered the baby (smiles). It feels nice to rediscover who I am beyond motherhood.”
On navigating motherhood and work, she opens up about the emotional challenges women face after childbirth. She says, “Postpartum is very difficult. Even if the world remains the same, you’ve changed — you’re more vulnerable. You’re on a healing path no one else sees. I wish there were more support systems during pregnancy to prepare you for postpartum. While everyone around you prioritises the baby, you have to prioritise yourself. You’re the only one looking after you.”
Grateful for the support she’s received, Shraddha adds, “Not everyone is Ekta Kapoor — she’s so generous. When she called me, she said, ‘Whatever’s comfortable — four hours, five hours’. I’m not even giving 12-hour shifts on weekends, and that’s okay. She’s a mom herself and understands.”
“Getting back to work was a refreshing change,” says Shraddha, who returned to the sets last month. She adds, “It’s a very refreshing shift from what I’ve been doing for the last so many months. Since I’m back so quickly, it doesn’t feel like I ever left. I reconnected with the character immediately — like I was almost living it even when I was away.”
At a time when many women struggle to have their working conditions adjusted post-maternity, the actress reveals she’s only working weekends. She shares, “That makes me appreciate my time with the babies during the week even more. They are really small and need a lot of attention. Although I have a very good support system, I obviously don’t want to be away for too long. It’s very adjusting and kind of Ekta Kapoor ma’am and the entire Kumkum Bhagya team.”
She adds, “Even when I fell sick three months into my pregnancy, they would send a team home for the shoot. Now they call me only on weekends because that suits my schedule as a mom. When I sit in the car, play music I love — it’s like meeting that woman I was before I delivered the baby (smiles). It feels nice to rediscover who I am beyond motherhood.”
On navigating motherhood and work, she opens up about the emotional challenges women face after childbirth. She says, “Postpartum is very difficult. Even if the world remains the same, you’ve changed — you’re more vulnerable. You’re on a healing path no one else sees. I wish there were more support systems during pregnancy to prepare you for postpartum. While everyone around you prioritises the baby, you have to prioritise yourself. You’re the only one looking after you.”
Grateful for the support she’s received, Shraddha adds, “Not everyone is Ekta Kapoor — she’s so generous. When she called me, she said, ‘Whatever’s comfortable — four hours, five hours’. I’m not even giving 12-hour shifts on weekends, and that’s okay. She’s a mom herself and understands.”
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