Exclusive | Mother’s Day 2023: Mother for me means my world and my comfort zone, says Soundarya Sharma

Hi Soundarya! What does the term ‘Mother’ mean to you?
Mother for me actually means my world, my comfort zone and I think for all of us it's the place which makes us feel the most secure and at home. That's what mother is for.

Also Read: Mother’s Day 2023: My mother has always pushed me to become a better person, says Adhyayan Suman 

How are you planning to celebrate this year’s Mother's Day?
Actually, I'm not with my mom and usually these days we've been traveling and working. So, I'm not with my mom right now. But having said that, I feel we don't need a specific day just to celebrate our mothers. This is what I personally feel for most of the days but especially for Mom's day because, I think 'har din vese hi maa se shuru hota hai aur maa pe hi khtm hota hai.' At least for me, I do speak to her 2-3 times a day and we try to do a video call every day and we discuss what we ate, how the day was and everything. So, like how my mother's life was always around her kids, for me as well, my entire day revolves around her. So, I definitely don't believe as whether I'm with her or not, my everyday is Mother's Day.

Also Read: Soundarya Sharma: We have all started watching and ruling over OTT 

Do you think, over the years, the concept of Mothers Day has taken the commercial route?
Yes for sure, I feel so. But still we are all very desi at heart, definitely for social media postings for sure, but I don't know in person how many of them have become commercial. But there's no harm in doing so because today's generation is living in a fast world with a fast pace that they often forget to live with parents, to give value to them and these somewhere are giving awareness, togetherness and closeness just by posting or talking about it. I'm just saying the other side of it. But definitely, it has taken a more commercial route. For me, definitely not, because I'm still the same whether I was in LA or here, for me, it's just the same as she was. I just somehow feel that how dedicated mothers are as you know my mother is so dedicated that her everything revolves around the three of us.

What are some of your fondest memories of celebrating Mother's Day with your own mother?
We used to cut cakes on Mother's Day and Father's Day, make greeting cards even now we make digital cards which are the fondest memories. We also used to go to India Gate sometimes.

Over the years, do you think that your perspective of Mother's Day has changed?
I don't know I've not thought much about it. Mother's Day is Mother's Day. It's like we start our day with 'Hey mom, Happy Mother's Day sending roses and I order surprise cake and flowers, that's how I do it even these days. However, last year I got her a phone and the same I did on Father's Day too. But I don't know the perspective of Mother's Day. Definitely, we are more vocal and expressive. At least, I'm more vocal and expressive about my mom and my love towards her.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you've learned about motherhood so far?
Motherhood, I think definitely you have to be completely selfless and surrender to being a mother. When I see my mom, I know she was working and she is a teacher and you know how she gets up at 4:30 am in the morning, prepare lunch for all of us because in those days there was no full time house help were there. So, the three of us prepare breakfast for all of us then, prepare half of the lunch by the time we are back, she would come back too and then give us foods too and then again, resting. Teachers make us do homework and then prepare dinner. She is almost forgotten who she is.  I don’t if Iam even one percent of my mother. I have a pet ‘Nannu’ and I know now that, Iam a ‘dog mom’ . How much does it take to just feed him. So, definitely I can't put it into words. I’m very thankful that she is my mom and the kind of life and love she is giving to me and to us as a family.

What are some of the most important qualities you hope/ plan to instill in your child as they grow up?
Definitely, ‘sanskaar, adab, respect, gratefulness ,thankfulness...whatever my mom has taught me. I think everything I would want in my child to have those and above all be grateful and thankful for every smallest thing aur kabhi bhi hawa me mat udo, just be grounded.

How has your mother been with you? A proper hands-on mother or a friend -friend types?
My mother has been truly amazing with me. Ours is more of a friend-friend kind of relationship. Initially, it was very mother-daughter... but, now, we both are more of friends. In fact, sometimes...I feel that I am a mother to her because my mother is a single child and my mom is closest to me out of all three.

What did your mother said when you entered Bigg Boss?
My mom said, "No tension... just be happy”. She never gave me the pressure of ki “Jeet ke aana, trophy lana”. She said that “I’m very proud of you”.

Anything that you want to go back in time and change about yourself or your life?
Nothing! I don't really want to change anything about me or my life, but one thing I would surely like to add is giving more time to my mother. I think we were so engrossed in growing up and busy in our respective lives that sometimes I did not give the kind of attention and warmth that I could have given as much as I do now because I understand her dedication and the sacrifices she has made for us, which have definitely amplified and multiplied to the infinite.

Was there something your parents did when you were a kid that you swore you would never do yourself?
When I was a kid, my parents would often scold me and make me do my homework instead of letting me go out and play, which is usually the drama of every Indian household. As a kid, I was too much into sports, but my parents used to tell me often not to go out and play so much but to study hard, and they had always motivated me to study. At that point, I decided I would never do that to my kid. Even though my parents were strict, I am always thankful to them, as they have helped me channelize my energy and prevented me from being distracted in my life and I am also a clean person habit-wise, away from all the addictions. It’s because of my parents that I ended up being a doctor, but when they used to scold me for not studying at that time, I was like I would never do this to my kid.

One film you like to watch with your mother?
There are a couple of films that me and my mum watch together like ‘Mann’, ‘’Hum Aapke Hai Kaun. It has always been fun watching movies with her but it has been long since I actually sat and watched a movie with her.

One thing for which you were always scolded by mother?
Let’s just keep being scolded for any other reason on one side, and being scolded for getting up late on one side. My mom used to always scold me for getting up late and used to always say ki “Surya ki paheli kiran ke saath uthna seekho”. We used to laugh and joke about this a lot as my mum and dad are early birds, they get up at 5am in the morning. So getting up by 8-8:30 am in the morning was late according to her. She would think that the whole day had been wasted. I've always gotten scolded by my mom because of this.

What is your fav food your mother makes?
My mother is an outstanding cook who prepares the most delicious food, notably kathal and Rajma. She used to make fantastic kadhi, which I no longer eat because I am vegan. She also makes wonderful karela, and I'm grateful to her for teaching me to eat tinda, Tori, karela, and everything else she cooks. I'm not sure which one to choose because she cooks everything so well.