Mumbai: Parineeti Chopra has spoken candidly about motherhood, working during pregnancy and the changing perception of actresses after they become mothers. The actor believes that having a child should not bring an end to a woman’s career in Hindi cinema.
Chopra recently shot her upcoming Netflix thriller series Shaque: Trust No One while pregnant with her son Neer. Reflecting on the experience, she credited producers Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra for supporting her and working with the creative team to make the physically demanding shoot safer.
In an interview with Mid-Day, Chopra said the process began with an honest conversation about what she could and could not do during pregnancy.
Parineeti Chopra on shooting Shaque: Trust No One during pregnancy
According to Chopra, she discussed the practical challenges of filming with the producers before production moved forward.
“I told them, ‘These are certain things I’ll now have to do, and certain things I’ll have to avoid. How can we make this work?’” she recalled.
Chopra said Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra responded by discussing possible solutions with director Rensil D’Silva. Since the Netflix thriller required her to perform action sequences, the production team had to make adjustments.
“They immediately spoke to our director [Rensil D’Silva] and started creatively finding solutions because I had to do a lot of action in this show. We’ve done all of it, but in a way that was safe for me,” she told Mid-Day.
For Chopra, the experience demonstrated the importance of communication between performers and production teams when circumstances require changes to a shoot.
Chopra says pregnant actors should not be made to feel guilty
While she appreciated the support she received, Chopra acknowledged that she does not believe every production necessarily approaches pregnancy in the same way.
She expressed concern about situations in which an actress might feel pressured or guilty because she is expecting a child.
“There are certain filmmakers who might make the mother feel guilty. It’s the craziest thing to do to her during this emotional time,” Chopra said.
Her comments come amid a broader discussion about how performers balance parenthood with demanding film and television schedules.
Parineeti Chopra praises actresses who continued working after motherhood
Chopra also challenged the idea that motherhood should automatically signal the end of an actress’s career.
She referred to several Hindi film actresses, including Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Katrina Kaif, while discussing women who have continued pursuing professional opportunities after becoming mothers.
“All of us — Alia [Bhatt], my cousin Priyanka [Chopra], Deepika [Padukone], Kareena [Kapoor Khan], and now Katrina [Kaif] — are here to prove that motherhood only inspires us to do more,” Chopra said.
She also pointed to audiences as an important part of the changing conversation around motherhood and screen careers.
“The audience is not cancelling mothers, [saying] they don’t want to see us on screen anymore,” she added.
Chopra questioned why becoming a parent should have a greater impact on an actress’s career than other major life events.
“Nothing else that happens in my life impacts my career. So why should having a baby impact it?” she said.
Karan Johar’s support for Alia Bhatt also gets a mention
Chopra also highlighted filmmaker Karan Johar’s support for Alia Bhatt during the production of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Bhatt was pregnant while working on the film, and Chopra cited the production as an example of filmmakers making arrangements to accommodate an actress during pregnancy.
For Chopra, such experiences can contribute to changing expectations around motherhood and professional life in the entertainment industry.
Shaque: Trust No One marks Parineeti Chopra’s series debut
Shaque: Trust No One marks Chopra’s entry into the web-series space as a leading actor.
Directed by Rensil D’Silva, the Netflix thriller also features Jennifer Winget and Tahir Raj Bhasin.
The story follows a mother whose baby is abducted. Years later, her continuing search for answers leads her to uncover secrets and question whether she can trust what she sees.
The series represents an important new phase in Chopra’s screen career, arriving after an unusual production experience in which she continued working while pregnant.
As Shaque: Trust No One reaches audiences, Chopra’s comments also put renewed focus on the relationship between motherhood, workplace support and the continued careers of actresses in Hindi entertainment.
