When actor Shilpa Saklani decided to make her comeback on TV after four years, there were inhibitions as she has a five-month-old daughter, who needs her. Cut to present, she is bringing her child to the set, and is taking care of her while she shoots.
Sharing how that happened, Saklani says, “I was first approached by the casting people for the show and I told them that unfortunately, I won’t be able to take this up. I kept on getting the calls from someone or the other. But it was not even an option for me. I got more calls from them and I told them no. A couple of days went by and I got another call from the channel’s team congratulating me for the baby and asking me to reconsider the offer. But I told them, Meri ek choti bacchi hai aur me nahi kar paaungi. But their response to that was ‘bacchi toh aapke saath set par hogi’, and I was surprised. I must have given them 10 reasons but they had a rebuttal for every statement and a solution for every problem. You know, these people have the knack of convincing you and making you do what they want (laughs).
That’s when Saklani’s husband, actor Apoorva Agnihotri said to think about the offer because “you have been rejecting the offer for over a month now and it’s god bringing it back to you. Toh itna bhi tiraskar nahi krna chaiye.”
Saklani says, in addition to the production assuring her that everything would be taken care of, what would have given her the confidence to go ahead and join the show had there been no conditions attached to the proposal. “My only prerequisite of the show was the number of days needed, which aren’t too many,” she shares.
Now, Saknali brings her daughter along with her with a help. “I bring my help with me and I have got help from the productions so it’s been good. I get to be with my daughter and that’s all that matters. It’s a change that has happened in the West. People take their babies to the set and I am hoping that this change happens here for us as well.. may not be now but someday. And this is essential for working moms who want to leave their babies at home.
Saklani is happy that there are production houses that are doing it gradually. “It’s a wonderful concept,” says Saklani as she wraps up.