Aishwarya Rai once spoke about being a hands-on mother to Aaradhya. She said that she is aware of the perception that celebrities must have an ‘army of help’ at their disposal but she has chosen otherwise.

On Aishwarya’s 48th birthday, here is revisiting her interview with Vogue India in 2018. “I spend all my time with Aaradhya, and I have one nanny, by choice. I read comments saying, ‘Ah, she must have an army of help’ and I understand the perception, but I choose this way, which means life is always busy. I respect homemakers for the endless work they do,” she said.

Talking about teaching her daughter the importance of having a positive outlook, Aishwarya said, “I’m a firm believer of the state of the mind, and that’s the means to keep your head above a high level of water, every day. That’s something I’m imparting to Aaradhya—that B-positive is not just a blood group and that everything in life is a learning curve. Experience life in the moment, because you’re going to have to live with your experience.”

Aishwarya and her husband Abhishek Bachchan welcomed Aaradhya in 2011. She took a five-year sabbatical from films to focus on motherhood and family. She made her comeback with Jazbaa in 2015.

Also read: When Amitabh Bachchan said Aishwarya Rai plays KBC at home, revealed if Aaradhya makes him act as host

Since then, Aishwarya has acted in Sarabjit, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Fanney Khan. Currently, she is gearing up for the release of Ponniyin Selvan, directed by Mani Ratnam. The film is reportedly being made in two parts, and the first instalment will release next summer.

Ponniyin Selvan also stars Vikram, Karthi, Prakash Raj, Jayam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan and Mohan Babu, among others. The film is a cinematic adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Tamil historical fiction novel, which tells the story of Arulmozhivarman, who was later crowned as Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I.