Hyderabad: After working in over 40 films and living it up in show business, Neelam Kothari Soni decided to turn to a craft that four generations of her family had mastered in — jewellery designing. The actress wanted to carry forward the legacy while indulging in something she also had a flair for. “It’s a family tradition and I was exposed to it since I was a little child. I knew I’d get to it eventually. Designing for me is a stress-buster and at the same time, a form of personal expression,” she says.
In an age when experimental jewellery is the norm, Neelam believes in keeping it simple and elegant. Since the pieces are customised and exclusive, they cost anywhere between a lakh to a few crores. “I am not into bold baubles and funky stuff. My work is a reflection of my personal style — classic, simple and timeless,” she says adding that Moghul and Victorian styles are particularly close to her heart.
Neelam is married to film and theatre actor Sameer Soni, and though the two are involved in creative fields, they hardly intrude into each other’s space. “Sameer doesn’t involve himself with my work at all. But, he has a brilliant sense of aesthetics; so, once in a while when I go seek his opinion on things, he’s always ready to help. Similarly, I don’t interfere with his acting or direction unless, I feel like bouncing off a suggestion,” she says.
How do the two unwind after a long day at work? “Oh, we’re just a boring old couple and nothing relaxes us more than a cosy evening in our pyjamas, watching television at home,” she says as an honest confession. The two now have a third member in the family — a lovely little baby girl called Ahana who the couple adopted last year. Talking about the bundle of joy she says, “There’s just so much life in the house now! She’s the biggest joy and the best thing that’s happened to us. Everything now revolves around her — right from our travel to even my work. She is my priority at the moment.”
