Jaya Bachchan On Taking A Break From Acting For Her Family: 'I Was Very Happy'

Apart from being known for her unabashed opinions, veteran actor Jaya Bachchan is credited for some award-winning performances on-screen. After making her Bollywood debut in 1971 with Guddi, veteran actor Jaya Bachchan went on to star in some of the best Hindi films, including Mili, Uphar, Kora Kagaz, and Abhimaan, among others. Nevertheless, she took a break from acting after giving a standout performance in the 1981 movie Silsila because she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Amitabh Bachchan, and their kids.

The 74-year-old actor discussed it in the season finale episode of her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda's podcast, What the Hell Navya.

The veteran actor revealed she dislikes the word "sacrifice" when it is used to describe what women have done for others during the episode participating along with her daughter Shweta Bachchan.

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Jaya Bachchan On Taking A Break From Acting

She responded to Navya's statement that women "sacrifice" their happiness for other people by saying, "You are putting somebody else’s thoughts, emotions and requirements before (your own). When you do something from within you, it’s not a sacrifice." She added that even when she took a break from acting, it was not a sacrifice, but something she really wanted to do.

She added, "I remember when I stopped working and everybody said, ‘Oh she sacrificed her career for her marriage and children.’ It was not so. I was very happy being a mother and wife. I enjoyed that role more than what I was getting to do, which was a repeat of the same thing. It was not a sacrifice at all."

Shweta Bachchan said earlier in the episode that women should be more kind and helpful to one another. Jaya Bachchan then stated that she is very nice to Navya. She said, "I am always helping other women and always speaking for them. Let’s not talk about mother and daughter."

A Madeleine K. Albright quote, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women," was then cited by Shweta Bachchan. After which Navya told her mom, "Same goes for you." The mother then retorted that she treats Navya very nicely, but Jaya Bachchan claimed that Shweta sees Navya as her "punching bag." Navya, according to Shweta Bachchan, appears to lack the ability to recognise when to remain silent or when someone is upset.