Actress and model Aamina Sheikh was a guest on the podcast Momkast, where she opened up about her decision to step back from acting in order to focus on her two children.
The actress was previously married in 2005 to fellow actor Mohib Mirza, with whom she shares a daughter, and divorced in 2019. She later remarried businessman Omar Farooqi in August 2020, and with whom she shares a son.
Aamina opened up about how she juggled nursing her first child while shooting a drama serial at the same time. During ‘Cake’, Aamina also revealed she was going through some challenging times which required her to put her work aside and “figure out a way forward for myself and for my child.”
“I had to choose what takes priority here? My child and her future or my passion? And I chose, I chose her. I took a break, I had to re-design things, re-establish my family, my ground. So then I put work on the back burner.”
The ‘Daam’ actress acknowledged her privilege of being able to rely financially on her parents when things got tough, which is a difficult decision for some women who aren’t able to take breaks from their workplaces. “I had the support of my parents which is the best thing a girl needs. With these things I found my grounding and then a new life started for me.”
On her re-marriage and the birth of her second child, the ‘Cake’ actress said she took a step back from her career and decided to focus on the upbringing of her children. This time with my little one, work was nowhere on the horizon,” continued Amina Sheikh. “My complete focus was on my kids and I’ve been fortunate that it’s my choice. I set up a home where I knew it was a conscious choice that my world right now is my kids and I need to put them in a routine and make sure all their aspects are covered, and in which you have to sacrifice.”
The ‘Mera Saeein’ actress reflected on how constantly working had left her burned out, and said that mothers should find an opportunity to reflect on what else is important other than work.
“I had worked for so long so then I had to take a step away from it for my own good,” continued the actress. “Because you’re constantly working back to back from one project to another, so you don’t get that moment to self-reflect and understand that there is a bigger world out there. As a human you’re evolving, you’re a mother now. What other evolutions are out there? Focus on them. We have a bigger purpose out there other than just working.”
Watch the complete clip below
