International Mother’s Day: Pranitha Subhash is thriving post her motherhood break and we talk to her about having it all — health, mommy duties and an amazing career…

Bengaluru-based Pranitha Subhash is well-known for her career in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam films. A pretty actress with a repertoire of work that only proves her acting capabilities, Pranitha has also always been known for her ability to look almost always angelic on screen. Born into a family of doctors, it isn’t surprising that the actress puts health first and her recent picture-perfect journey into motherhood only proves this further. The actress who debuted in 2010 with the Kannada film, Porki, married and birthed her first child, her daughter Arna, during the successive lockdowns and now two years since, she is back on track, pursuing her careeer in films and television, doubling up as mom and career woman, quite nonchalantly. Popular across industries for films like Saguni (2012), Attarintiki Daredi (2013) and more recently Hungama 2 and Bhuj: The Pride of India in 2021, the actress is ready for her second innings and how, though, to be honest, we never felt like she left. We caught up with the actress recenmtly at an event promoting the goodness of almonds organised by the Almond Board of California and decided to have a casual chat about motherhood, health and so much more. Excerpts from the interview:

Pranitha, you’ve always been someone who has looked absolutely fantastic from the beginning of your career. You’ve looked after your hair, your skin and the way you portray yourself on screen… so, considering that we’re talking about what health means to you today and how you look after your own health, could we start off by just asking, what does health mean to you personally?

So, of course, health is very, very primary for me, whether it’s aesthetically, whether it’s keeping fit, being active and fresh throughout the day is something that is really important to me. I think that for me, it’s a priority. My parents are doctors, so, I think, it’s something that I have learned to look after. I’ve seen them and learned from them and that’s something I want my daughter to see in me and learn from too. I think, it’s just always been there. It’s a lifestyle, now!

You’re someone who nobody will believe is a mother. When you decided to become a mother recently, did you tell yourself, I have to change my lifestyle a bit, this is going to be a new part of my life, I need to incorporate things into my diet etc?

It came with a lot of fear. You’re very worried about putting on a few kilos here and there and all of that. But, I think it has been a challenging ride and you have to somehow sort of maintain yourself in spite of all that’s happening. Because today’s world is not like, OK, you’re a mom. OK, sit at home and just be a mom. It’s no more just that. A lot more is expected from you and I think I really had to put in that extra effort. I had to make sure I’m back on my workout schedules as as possible. I had to make sure I was on a healthy diet throughout. Because you can’t just starve yourself. That’s going to make you look very unhealthy. I think, for me, it was all about trying to keep that balance.

So, let’s go into your daily regimen. What is it that you do to ensure that even if you do the least amount of effort you look great? What are those few secrets that you can share with us?

A workout here and there is important because without that it’s going to keep your mind dull and with that and a balanced diet, you’re pretty much sorted. I’m somebody who snacks a lot during the day, especially right now, as I’m shooting and judging shows simultaneously. I know how bored I get sometimes in between when they’re setting up everything and I end up snacking on anything that’s in front of me. So, the best thing for me is to keep a few almonds in front of me, so I just snack on them instead of craving something else. That has been my go-to over the last couple of years. I’ve been hearing about the benefits of almonds, so, I know that I’m safe while I’m snacking.

What do you feel about motherhood, now that you’ve been a mom for a while?

Motherhood has been an enriching journey for me. It is a role that fills my heart with immense love and joy every single day. From the first moment I held my child in my arms, I knew that nothing in this world could compare to the bond we share. The sacrifices, the sleepless nights and the endless cuddles all become worthwhile when I see that smile on my little one’s face. Being a mother has taught me patience, resilience and the true meaning of unconditional love. It’s a privilege and a blessing that I cherish with all my heart.

Moving on to films, you did take a break from your career to be a mom, but now you’re back! So, was the break a nice break? Was it a break you looked forward to and how was that whole experience going from the big screen to a break and now back again?

Honestly, because COVID-19 happened, I had to take a break. It will be very wrong to call COVID-19 a blessing, but that break was a huge blessing for me because the second wave was when I got married and the world was still not back on its feet and that’s when my break happened. So, I feel like a lot of people even tell me like when did the whole baby part happen because we didn’t see you and I think that worked out for me. No unwanted attention. But, I’m glad I’m back here and it all worked out perfectly.

And finally, are we going to see you in any movies or productions soon?

There’s a Malayalam movie with actor Dilip and it’s a very, very different kind of role that I’m playing and I’m looking forward to that. There’s one in Kannada as well, Ramana Avatara, that’s just released and a few other projects coming up, which I’m yet to announce.

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