EXCLUSIVE: Surveen Chawla opens up on feeling ‘surreal’ post embracing motherhood, baby Eva & paternity leaves
Surveen Chawla opens up about embracing motherhood, baby girl Eva, husband Akshay being a constant support and more in an exclusive interview with PINKVILLA.
Sacred Games actor Surveen Chawla welcomed a baby girl on April 19, 2019 with husband Akshay Thakker. The couple named the baby girl Eva and were seen glowing with happiness as they made an exit from the hospital just recently. Ask her Surveen how has the last week been and she says, “It hasn’t hit me completely. I am feeling strange, thinking and feeling the way I am doing.. it almost feels like... you know.... sometimes people say that a new ‘you’ will be born when you give birth, this almost feels like that.”
“I am feeling things which were alien to me. Just feeling them is surreal, in a good way, of course. The feeling is inexplicable and I can’t describe it in words,” she expressed. Lauding her in-laws for being her backbone during her pregnancy and post it, Surveen adds, “I have a very good support system. I have my mother-in-law, that is a big blessing as I am still recovering and there is Akshay.” However, is she already having sleepless nights, so to say, Surveen quips, “Not really but you feel guilty when you sleep too much, for now. Now, when I wake up in the morning and haven’t seen in her for a few hours it becomes very difficult."
At the time when roles of a mother and a father are no more bondage to patriarchy, is Akshay a hands on father? Surveen agrees and appreciatively mentions, “Fully and completely involved. He is extremely hands on. I think thats how men should embrace fatherhood when it is not about the mother raising the child only. At every level and every way, Akshay has just been so amazing in the entire journey. He absolutely loves kids. It is actually just 50-50 percent partnership. Thats never been a concern that I have to take care of our child only, it was never like I have to not do a certain kind of thing because I have to take care of the child. It is a partnership of equals and Akshay has been amazing.”
Eva — this is exactly what the duo has named the baby girl and explaining what it means, Surveen shares, “Not many people know that the name ‘Eva’ actually originates from Sanskrit and that it means ‘life.’ So it couldn’t be more apt for us since it is a new beginning in our life and from all our hearts, I wanted to welcome the baby in our life.” Explaining how the two were equally invested in naming the child, the Hate Story 2 actor says, “Both of us. It is like, I said 50-50. We wanted to give her a name which both of us love and it was never going to be a name which one person liked and other didn’t. I don’t think there will ever be a decision taken for her which will be only by one of us, it has to be unanimous.”
As she made an important point, we quiz her if she thinks the debate around paternity leaves and fathers being more inclusive in the upbringing of a child is important. To that, Surveen asserts, “Absolutely important. It is quintessential. I think it is time men realise that it is not just the mother’s job. That you can’t substitute a father’s role while bringing up a child. They both have very very essential roles to play in their own capacity. Why should it just be a mother’s prerogative and not fathers? It is equally important, it has to be a 50-50 partnership in raising a child from day 1. Of course, you have to make adjustments. Currently, she needs me more, so I am making the adjustments, but there will be a time when I will be shooting and Akshay will take care of her. Thats how it is going to be. Thats not even a point of discussion.”