This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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"Sooraj logo ko apne kaam se chup karo jawab se nahi," said Sooraj Pancholi about his stoic mom Zarina Wahab ji. Sooraj spoke exclusively to Content Head Broadband Faridoon Shahryar on the occasion of Mother's Day. Life has been tough for Sooraj because of the ongoing Jiah Khan suicide case. In such trying circumstances Sooraj leans only on his mother for emotional and moral support. He also talks about the simplicity of Zarina ji and how she likes to travel in a train. What is it that Sooraj wants to buy for his mom? Find out all this and more.
Sooraj, it's mother's day today, so what does it mean to you?
It's good, my mom is coming back from shoot tomorrow. She has always been busy on Mother's day but this time I think she's going to have time for me. And tomorrow is Sunday also, we all usually meet on Sundays so every Sunday we have a family day. So it's very simple, my mom will cook food at home. She's from Hyderabad so she cooks some lovely Hyderabadi biryani. My sister and all of us sit at home and have food, spend some time at home.
What is the importance of Mother's day for you?
I don't know the importance of the day, especially the mother's day, because every day for me is like mother's day. I think every mom is the most special person in everyone's life because mother is the support to the family. My mom, I call my mother a lioness because she's the strongest one in the family, mentally, emotionally everything.
How important has Zarina ji's role been in shaping up your life?
Some people wonder why I'm so simple, not filmy and everything because of the upbringing I got from my mom. She's still very simple, she still travels in a bus, train. She still goes to Hyderabad by train, by the way. She doesn't likes flying in a plane.
She travels in a train?!
She still goes market for shopping fish, she goes to market to buy the groceries, she goes every morning to buy groceries for the house. So she's like every other mother. She has films, she has a shoot, but she's also a typical Indian mother.
What's your favorite film of Zarina ji?
Definitely, Chitchor.
Anything in the recent times, like My Name Is Khan?
I loved her in My Name Is Khan, I loved her in Agneepath.
What about her television serials? She's extremely popular as a television artist?
Yeah now she's doing a serial on the singing thing. Even I haven't seen it, so she's working, she's doing her little bit. She likes being busy. Actually i keep asking my mother why she doesn't sits down, she has so much energy, she has crossed 50 but she's still so young from the inside.
She enjoys a tremendous goodwill within the industry as well, everyone has good things to say about her, be it Shah Rukh, Salman or almost anyone.
I guess it's because of her simplicity you know, because she's so simple. She's an honest person. That's why yes.
What are your childhood memories in terms of growing up with Zarina ji around?
I used to stay at home. I remember her being upset at me few times when I used to bunk my tuitions and school. I really troubled her that way, as a child I was really naughty. I used to trouble her every weekend to take me shopping and you know I was a really really naughty kid so I troubled her a lot from my childhood.
Is she strict about your diet food since you're an actor now?
No she's not strict about the food, she doesn't worry about what I eat but she worries if I have eaten or not.
Are you doing something special on Mother's day, is there anything that you and your sister are planning?
Nothing special this year but hopefully next year and coming years I would like to do something special for her.
What is it that you want to do to make your mother proud of you?
She's from Hyderabad, and she travels Hyderabad every month, every month she goes for couple of days, and she has a one bedroom that she has had since the beginning. She was born in Hyderabad. I want to gift her a nice house in Hyderabad, the day I do that, the day I buy her a nice penthouse in Hyderabad that day I'll feel like I've done something in life.
She has been a pillar of support for you, you've had some tough times as well in the last year or so, how important has been her belief in you?
You know I am a kind of person who doesn't like to talk about my problems. I don't discuss it with my best friends I don't discuss it with my father, sister. If I ever have to breakdown to someone, it would be my mother because i think she'll understand me the most without explaining anything to her. I think it's the connect that a son and mother have, at the end Mother shares a relationship with son. You don't need to tell mother anything and yet she understands.
How important is her belief-in-you for you, because many a times these days media has become gossipy and people are looking for sensationalising anything and everything. Many a times without checking facts, ke hamari story pehle aa jaye without realising that it can affect lives. How important has been the fact that she has been a sorted support for you, she has always done clarifications on your behalf because you don't like talking. Because people trust her, because when she says something people know she's saying objectively which is very important for anyone because that's the sort of credibility she has.
Yeah, you know she has asked me to keep quiet. She says if there's justice it'll be your silence and not getting such…umm… you know random interviews to people. I remember when I got the Stardust award, I said on stage that my mom says "Sooraj logo ko apne kaam se chup karo jawab se nahi" That's what she says, shut everyone with your work people will know the truth eventually when the time is right. You don't have to justify to anyone.
Does she tell you to meditate maybe or pray?
No, No, she just knows, she doesn't say anything. She's just there when I need her. She doesn't like controversies and all of that. She doesn't want me to get into any situation by saying something.
You depend on her for your mental strength?
Definitely yes, yeah.
Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more
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