It is said that motherhood is one of the most blissful phases in a woman’s life. It comes as no surprise, then, that this is what Esha Deol Takhtani chose to write about in her first book. With this, she joins the bandwagon of Bollywood actor-turned-authors such as Soha Ali Khan and Twinkle Khanna.Ask what was the driving factor behind penning down her experience in the form of a book and she’s quick to say, “It came straight from the heart. Whatever I was feeling at that time, I wanted to share it. I had a thought that there must be more women who are going through the same thing like me, and if I am finding solutions to the surprises coming my way, I want to share it and be of some help.”In the age of social media, the mother of two thought of going old school and collating her thoughts on paper. But, one may be surprised to know that writing a book was never on her mind, initially. “When Radhya was transitioning from milk to liquid and slowly solid food, there were a lot of recipes that we put together. I thought, since I am putting in so much effort, I want to give it to other mothers so they have it ready for their kids. It was never about a book, initially. I was talking to a friend of mine and we thought the best way to share it would be a book,” says the 38-year-old, who shares two daughters – Radhya and Miraya – with her businessman husband Bharat Takhtani.Titled Amma Mia, the book, which is expected to hit stands later this month, encapsulates stories, recipes and little anecdotes of experiences Esha went through during pregnancy and after giving birth. One can also absorb words of wisdom from a host of experts in the field, including pediatricians, nannies, and mothers, including her own — veteran actor and politician Hema Malini. The Dhoom (2004) actor shares, “The book has a lot about me, my childhood and early years…There’s a lot about what goes down in South Indian households. Through this book, I feel a lot of people who don’t know me will get to know me (laughs).”What’s more, the book also gives an insight into the varied perspectives of mothers, both working and non-working. “There’s a chapter where we’ve got working mothers and homemakers to talk, that’s a very interesting chapter. It shows a vast difference between the thought processes of both. As working mothers, we want something that we can put together quickly that turns out to be good.
