After a ten-year hiatus, actor Genelia Deshmukh is all set to return to the movies with a slew of projects in different languages. She will be seen playing the lead in two Hindi films, Mister Mummy and Trial Period, and a key role in an untitled Telugu-Kannada film co-starring Telugu actor Kireeti. She is also gearing up for her debut Marathi film titled Ved, which will be directed by her husband, actor Riteish Deshmukh.
In an exclusive interaction with News18, Genelia says that she was rather nervous about facing the camera after a decade. “I was extremely excited but I won’t deny that I had these bits of nervous pangs here and there. But the thing about my job is that I love it so much. I love acting, interpreting scripts and bringing a part of me onscreen, and that matters the most to me. I felt welcomed [before the camera],” she says.
While Genelia had cameo appearances in a handful of films in the past few years, she was last seen playing the lead in Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya and Naa Ishtam (both 2012). And when she was away from work, she kept herself busy with her children, Riaan and Rahyl. Needless to say, being in a completely different city far away from them during outdoor shoots wasn’t easy but she credits Riteish for taking up the role of a stay-at-home dad rather perfectly.
The 35-year-old shares, “I’ve an extremely supportive husband, and the best part is that we try and plan our schedules according to each other’s time. When I shoot, Riteish literally becomes the homemaker. When I was in Delhi, he was there with the kids to ensure that I didn’t feel like I didn’t have my home with me. And I do my best [to deal with being away from them].”
What also nudged Genelia to resume her passion was the fact that she wanted to normalise that mothers can be working professionals too. Talking about setting the right precedent for her children, she says, “The kids are at that age when they go to school and are busy. They understand that their mum needs to work. It’s very important to let them know that because they respect, appreciate and learn from us, which is the most important thing.”
Yet another reason why adapting to a schedule that revolved around shoots became difficult was the trying to fit her workout regimen, a six-week long fitness journey she kick-started in the month of June this year, into it. Though happy about sticking to her routine and losing four kilograms in six weeks, Genelia reveals that it was no cakewalk.
She states, “Resuming shoot in another town was really tough because the gym was different and my trainer wasn’t there. I was shooting nights, and so my entire body clock went haywire. My diet is very specific and following it became a bit of a challenge.”
So, what made her not digress from the path of fitness she set out on? “I think when there is a will, there is a way. The important thing is to not quit but to just keep going. You will have bad days and that’s a part of growth. I embrace even those situations when I feel like I’m going to fall. I don’t stop at that. I push myself further,” the Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) actor avers.
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