Juhi Chawla talks about her experiences, memories of growing up as being a complete woman.
According to you what is the place of a woman in films now?
Just like it has always been, right from when films got made! When society got made. The role of a woman has been an integral part of films. The length of women’s roles could be long or short, their presence could be important or may be more just for romance, but their overall presence is very integral. Can you ever imagine a film without a woman? Without a heroine? It’s just not possible! So yes, a woman is very integral to a film.
Which role was a turning point in your career?
The first turning point was QSQT (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak). Because though people think my first film was QSQT, it was actually Sultanat, where i played the heroine opposite Karan Kapoor. It was a very tiny role at that time, but I was in the film. The film which anchored me in the industry was QSQT.
After QSQT, for a year or two, I was playing very similar roles where I was usually a traditionally dressed girl. My next turning point came when I was given Lootere.
Wherein the director Dharmesh Darshan, made me look well yes Indian, but he also gave it a glamorous twist. That was quite refreshing. That set me up for varied kind of roles post the film.
How do you balance work with your personal life?
I believe in prioritising. Once they are clear then I try to fit other things in. When you are single it’s just you and your work but when you are married it’s you, your husband, your children, work etc. So I just prioritise everything. At the top of the list is my family, my work, my music and that takes precedence over everything else. Then it’s my social work, my friends, etc. So I make sure to balance them all rightly.
Do you think a woman needs a man to complete her?
Yes, just like the day needs the night! Yin has yang, Shiv has Shakti, Romeo has Juliet, Tom has Jerry. A woman yes does need a man to complete her! Like the east and the west. You do need roundedness. A man or a woman are incomplete without each other. That is eternal truth. A man and a woman together, take the world, take life forward. On one’s own, you are only half of the whole.
What women related issue do you think need to be addressed immediately?
What needs to be addressed immediately should have been done yesterday, can still be done today is human trafficing! It is the picking up of little girls, or disappearing or getting sold. Little minor girls! Them being abused and forced into prostitution! It is absolutely inhuman! It is a crime against humanity. This is something that ought to be stopped. it is a crime against God!