Sonnalli Seygall is preparing to return to the big screen after taking time away following the birth of her daughter. The actor says motherhood has not changed her basic approach to choosing roles, although practical considerations such as shooting schedules, working hours and being close to her baby now play a bigger part in her decisions.
Sonnalli Seygall is ready to begin the next chapter of her acting career after taking a break following the birth of her first child.
The Pyaar Ka Punchnama actor is set to return to the big screen with Aryabhatt Ka Zero, in which she stars alongside Himansh Kohli. During a conversation with mid-day, Sonnalli reflected on how her priorities have evolved since becoming a mother and addressed the broader discussion around actresses taking on romantic and intimate roles after motherhood.
For Sonnalli, however, motherhood has not fundamentally changed the kind of stories she wants to tell.
Sonnalli Seygall says motherhood has not changed her script choices
Sonnalli explained that she developed a sense of what kind of work she did and did not want to take on relatively early in her career.
Looking back at the period after Pyaar Ka Punchnama, she admitted that she was initially more willing to consider projects because opportunities were limited.
“Fortunately, that came at a very early point in my life. After Pyaar Ka Punchnama, I would still be swayed, because at that time there wasn’t much work. So, whatever script came, I would probably say yes to,” she said.
Her next film happened to be Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, but after that project, Sonnalli says she became increasingly conscious of the type of work she wanted to pursue.
“I probably didn’t know what to do, but I had that sense a long time ago about what not to do,” she explained.
That clarity eventually led her to turn down projects even when accepting them could have brought greater financial rewards.
“I said no to a lot of projects, which probably at that time would have given me more money, but I was very sure,” she said.
‘I’m proud of my trajectory’
Sonnalli said her primary consideration has been whether she will be comfortable with the choices she has made when looking back on her career years later.
“I have always chosen films which, even if I look back after many years, I don’t regret what I’ve done. So, I’m proud of my trajectory,” she said.
That philosophy remains relevant as she prepares to return to acting.
Rather than changing her creative standards because she has become a mother, Sonnalli says the practical demands surrounding a project have become more important.
Sonnalli on romantic roles after becoming a mother
The actor was asked about the ongoing conversation around actresses returning to romantic or intimate roles after becoming mothers and whether motherhood had affected her own approach to such projects.
Sonnalli said that, from her perspective, the central issue is not whether a role is romantic but whether the overall demands of the production work with her responsibilities as a mother.
“Post-motherhood, I think for me it’s been the same,” she said.
According to Sonnalli, the factors most likely to influence her decision now are the number of shooting days and the flexibility of the schedule.
“I think post-motherhood, the only thing which will make me choose a project more is the number of days, or the flexibility of hours, to be very honest,” she explained.
‘It’s not just the days; it’s also the mental load’
Sonnalli said she has deliberately avoided immediately taking on large projects that would require an extensive commitment of time and energy.
“That’s why it’s been a conscious decision not to resume or to not start any major projects, which require a lot of my time, attention, physical, mental, everything,” she said.
For her, managing a production schedule as a new mother involves more than simply counting the number of days spent on set.
“It’s just not the days; it’s also the mental load that your mind is somewhere,” she added.
Her comments highlight the practical considerations that can influence a working mother’s return to a demanding profession.
Sonnalli took two years away from work
Sonnalli said she had wanted to take a break for two years and is now preparing to return to acting.
“I’m going to start now,” she said.
The actor explained that one of the important considerations going forward will be whether her daughter can remain close to her while she works.
“I think that will be a deciding factor whether I can take my baby close to me, can she be around? How can I feel? There are a lot of factors,” Sonnalli said.
At the same time, she believes her instincts about choosing scripts remain intact.
“Otherwise, to choose a script, my inner compass has been quite decent in that regard,” she added.
A return shaped by both career and motherhood
Sonnalli’s return comes with a clear sense of what she wants from the next stage of her career.
Motherhood has not, according to the actor, changed her fundamental standards for choosing stories. Instead, it has added another layer to the decision-making process—one involving time, flexibility, energy and proximity to her child.
Her comments also offer a different perspective on conversations about actresses returning to romance after motherhood. For Sonnalli, the question is less about whether a mother should play a romantic character and more about whether a particular production fits the life she is building now.
With Aryabhatt Ka Zero, Sonnalli is preparing to return to the screen on terms that reflect both her professional ambitions and her priorities as a mother.
