In a candid interview with Bombay Times, actress Kiara Advani opened up about the raw, often unspoken realities of motherhood and the intense societal scrutiny women face after giving birth.
Kiara, who welcomed her daughter Saraayah Malhotra on July 15, 2025, with husband Sidharth Malhotra, shared how the transition drastically altered both her personal and professional worldview. Currently gearing up for her next release, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, the actress reflected on the biological and emotional rollercoaster of the postpartum phase.
The Unspoken Postpartum Chaos
Kiara highlighted that while people celebrate pregnancy, few prepare women for the intense emotional toll that follows childbirth.
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The Internal Shift: “No one talks about the guilt you feel, the chaos outside you and inside you. Biologically, there are so many changes that you go through, your hormones are crashing and your mental space is somewhere else.”
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The Parental Disparity: She noted that while fatherhood brings change, the physical burden heavily weighs on the mother. “She is the nutrition of the baby, the one carrying the baby, delivering the baby and then feeding the baby.”
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The Power of Female Support: Kiara emphasized that navigating this chaos requires a strong community. “The best way to get through it is by supporting women around you. I feel the most successful women today are those who are supported by other women.”
Shifting Societal Expectations: From Goddess to Scrutinized
One of the most relatable segments of the interview focused on how society’s perception of a woman’s body shifts the moment she gives birth.
“When you’re pregnant, everyone goes like, ‘Oh my God, you’re glowing.’ And the minute you’ve had a baby, it changes to, ‘Abhi moti lag rahi hai…’ (Now she’s looking fat). When you are pregnant, you are this Devi (Goddess), and the minute you deliver the baby, they expect you to be back in shape and back on track.”
Kiara stressed that the period after delivery is when a woman needs the most tenderness, quoting the famous proverb with a twist:
“They say it takes a village to raise a baby. It takes a village to raise a mother.”
A New Perspective on Work and Home Life
Despite the challenges, Kiara feels that motherhood has ultimately enriched her as an artist. She believes that future directors will get to work with the “best version” of her, given her deeper understanding of life and the world.
As for how things have changed at home with Sidharth? The hierarchy is clear.
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Who Rules the House? “It is Saraayah’s house, and Sidharth and I live in it. Basically, her toys and playmats are everywhere, and we are living around it.”
