Daughters are their mothers’ darlings and actresses are no different. Whenever we spot actresses — at events, shoots or promotions, many of them are often accompanied by their mothers. This is not just for moral support, but a lot more. These mothers, who double up as their managers or ‘momagers’, are the superwomen behind their successful daughters. Right from their daily schedules, to their choice of films, momagers take care of it all! This Mother’s Day, we talk to these mother-daughter duos about how they manage to keep their personal and professional relationships healthy and successful.
Say the word ‘bubbly’ and Hansika Motwani comes to mind. Her mother, Dr. Mona Motwani is no less. Talking about their special bond, Mona says, “Hansika’s journey in showbiz began when she was barely seven years old! Initially, I used to help her choose her scripts and go with her to locations. Both of us listen to the scripts. At that time, my priority was on my daughter’s career as my profession was already established. At no point of time have I felt that I was making a sacrifice.”
An emotional Mona adds, “I have been with her during thick and thin to guide her at the right time.” Recalling an incident as proof of Hansika’s bravery, Mona says, “When she was six, we lived in a high-rise building. Once, Hansika was standing near the door keeping her hands on it. All of a sudden, due to the heavy wind, the door slammed and it cut her middle finger. She was yelling and I rushed her to my hospital where a surgery was conducted. Since I had fed her only 15 minutes prior to it, we could not give anesthesia. But, she was brave enough to undergo the operation without making any noise. In fact, I was crying. I am blessed to have a daughter like Hansika.”
Nivetha Thomas, who started off as a child artiste and then a heroine, is now making waves in Tollywood for her powerful performances. She has her mother Illy Thomas to support all of her choices.
Talking about her daughter, Illy says, “We are pretty much the same way we are at home too; not much of a difference there. Yes, I don’t have much experience with people from the industry. But Nivetha and I make sure that we are on the same page about what we want in her career and make sure that others know about it too.”
Talking about the one thing this mother-daughter duo disagree on, Nivetha says, “The only thing we argue about is my workaholic nature. I’m very particular about balancing work with studies, even if it means pulling off an all- nighter, but all mom wants me to do is relax. Not just while shooting, but having my mother around me all the time is very important to me. There are people who compare me to her, and I take it as a huge compliment because if I am at least 25 percent of what she is, that’s an achievement.”
Actress Mahima Nambiar excitedly starts talking about her mom who manages her— “In simple words, she is my confidence. Ever since the day I broke the news to my family that I want to act, she has been by my side. Never has she complimented me on my films, she always has some criticism to dole out (laughs), but that is what keeps me grounded. I’m still slightly childish, I have to admit. I find it near impossible to say no to people. But mom is so headstrong and knows when to say no.”
Mahima’s mom Vidya’s only complaint about her is her organisation skills! “The one thing we always have fights over is when we have to pack before heading out to shoot. She always manages to miss her clothing, so it’s always a missing piece of clothing before an important event, and she has still not corrected that,” she says.
Kollywood’s newest entrant Sayyeshaa says there is nobody better suited than her mother Shaheen for the job! “My mother knows me the best, and so I can’t think of anyone else who would do the job better. She also understands my choices and the films I do are solely my choice. But the way she manages everything else surrounding it is amazing and keeps me sane.”
Shaheen chips in saying, “She is my baby and she means the world to me. Perhaps the only thing I want her to do is relax a lot more. She is a workaholic and I have to remind her when to switch off work. That is why we are taking a vacation to Dubai, where we will celebrate Mother’s Day.”
When we think of momagers down south, the first person who comes to one’s mind is Uma Krishnan, the rock behind Trisha’s career. The actress is a total diva, but Uma has been Trisha’s support and best friend throughout her career. The actress has never hid the fact that she owes what she is today to her mother. They are easily our favourite mother-daughter duo!
(With inputs from Anupama Subramanian)
