Pooja Kanwal is a well-recognized face in the entertainment industry. She is the youngest daughter of the talented actress Anita Kanwal and is a mother herself to 7-year old Avika.
The Voice of Woman got chatting with her on motherhood, being a working mom, and the various experiences that life with a child teaches you.
Supermom, Pooja, also shares her fitness and style tips as a mother with our readers.
You can also check the exclusive video here.
Interview with Pooja Kanwal
Here are the amazing answers of Pooja Kanwal given in the interview with VOW
How do you strike the balance of being a working mother
Being a working mother isn’t easy but for me, the key is always to prioritize. In the initial days, you walk a dangerous path, with a garland of guilt and a heavy heart. I started working when my daughter turned a year old.
I would always say that I should be the last person to know if, god forbid, anything happens to her.
But as you go along it gets easier and get all the help that you require and spend quality time with your child. Even when I away, I try and look into the minute details of her life.
I keep my work and planning for my daughter, hand-in-hand, even though, it is such diverse things. I have not known motherhood any other way.
What are the feelings about being a mother for the first time
The first feeling is of being grateful. Initially, I was confused and there were a lot of questions and doubts. Once I got over that part, the journey has just gotten easier. Now are the golden years, my daughter is seven years old, and I am enjoying every bit of it.
Do you think daughters are their mother’s best friend
Once I had issues with some project and I was much stressed. My daughter was like “don’t worry, Mumma, if this doesn’t work out, something else will”.
She was like you should leave a project only when you have a new one. She is never complaining about the mother that I have become. It was the most rewarding thing my daughter ever told me.
There are no blues despite the lockdown, my daughter has become my biggest support. We are becoming best friends, soul mates, and sharing little things. I am amused about how fast she is growing up! I enjoy spending time doing little things with her. We bond at various levels.
Daughters are their mother’s reflection- do you see that with your daughter
She is a ball of energy and quirky like me. My daughter is as loud as I am. I feel it is a great connection to see a little bit of me in her but we are very far from where I would want it to be.
One life hack that you want your daughter to learn so that she can survive independently
I want her to be independent financially, emotionally, and physically. I never want her to feel lonely. I want to be there for her but I don’t want her to feel dependent on any person to feel happy.
Cooking is an important life hack that I want her to learn as it is one of the most important things. It is something that I never did but I keep encouraging her. It is important to know how to cook basic things.
I would be fortunate if she has the Kanwal cooking genes from her side. My mother is a fabulous cook. She should be a complete person and happy with herself and be able to feed herself and her immediate family.
What is one style tip that Pooja Kanwal want to share with mothers out there
I was raised by a super stylish mother and she would be excited to dress me and my sister like dolls and that’s where she found her inspiration for her designing venture.
Even now, she is equally excited to dress up her grandkids. My sister is also a stylist but somehow I haven’t inherited it. The bar is set high. I have grown up in a women-centric family where style and appearance have been given a lot of importance.
The main thing that I learned from my mother is to be confident in whatever you wear and happy in your skin. If you feel great in what you wear then people are going to compliment you.
This is something I have imbibed from my family and want to pass it on to my daughter.
Do you think being a mother takes away the pleasures of being a daughter
I am 35 years old and I can proudly say I am my mother’s baby and she is my best friend. I cannot imagine life without her. My morning starts by talking to her. We will always be over in touch with each other over calls and texts.
I have a lot of friends but I am obsessed with my mom. Even now she came to do my hair for my birthday.
You have dubbed as Captain Marvel- how was the experience? If you could have one superpower what would it be
Dubbing for Captain Marvel was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. She was the protagonist of the entire film and had an integral role in the blockbuster movie “Avengers”.
To be part of such a huge production that is popular across the world is a big deal for me as an artist. I learned a lot while dubbing for this movie.
I have never done any such superhero film in my life, and by lending my voice to such a character it was a great experience. If I could have a superpower, then I would want to fly. I often dream of having wings and flying to beat the traffic!
What are three essential items without which you can’t step out of your home
It would have to be my house keys, hand sanitizer, lipstick, a basic amount of cash, and my mobile charger.
What is the secret behind your fitness
The secret behind my fitness is consistency. I have been working out on a daily basis for the last 22 years and occasionally even before that too.
I don’t know any other way and I have worked out through every phase of my life. It helps me reel in all my thoughts and assists in aligning my mind, body, and soul.
I don’t exercise too much, I listen to my body. I never set too high fitness goals for myself because I believe consistency is the key. Irrespective of how down and out I feel, I have to get 40 minutes of work-out in a day. My mantra has always been: consistency despite conditions around.
What is your guilty indulgence
My guilty indulgence is drinking Coke or Pepsi and not the Diet version. I totally love it.
As a celebrity you are constantly under scrutiny- how do you deal with it
The feeling of being a celebrity or being under scrutiny is as simple or complicated as you want it to be. I am what I am, and I don’t think of myself as a celebrity. I am a hard worker, an entertainer, and I continue to do what I believe in doing.
I choose the projects where I feel I have the conviction to perform well. I try to reach audiences within my capacity and I am very honest with my work.
I try to take things one hour at a time. I keep my personal and professional life separate. I keep things very simple and not mix the two. I never think too much about how I am being perceived. I do my work, come home, and happy to be around my friends and family.