Resilience and Representation ft. Priyanka Chaturvedi

[00:00:07] Hello everyone, today we have someone with us who is a dear friend

[00:00:10] I know her from the time we were school gate moms together chasing our toddlers around the school gate premises

[00:00:15] and today she is a member of the Rajya Sabha

[00:00:18] it has been an incredible journey, she is a dear friend of both me and Shunali

[00:00:23] and I am very proud to have Priyanka Chaturvedi here with us today

[00:00:28] Thank you for coming here Priyanka

[00:00:29] Thank you so much for having me, I have been wanting to come here forever

[00:00:32] Finally

[00:00:34] You are coming from the airport aren't you?

[00:00:37] I feel so important

[00:00:39] I feel very landed and driven straight to us to you

[00:00:42] And I feel like I am making an excuse kind of a thing

[00:00:45] You know when you called me the other day and you said, well when you plan to come for this

[00:00:49] I was like listen I have to go to Rajshri, is it okay, Delhi, whatever, whatever

[00:00:53] and then you gave me this data, I am not letting this go now

[00:00:56] So even if I have to come straight from the airport I am going to do this

[00:00:58] Thank you, thank you, thank you

[00:01:00] We are so happy to have you with us

[00:01:03] When we were standing at that whole gate

[00:01:05] with oil in our hair

[00:01:07] with the Pajamas

[00:01:09] Lute pite with our chasmas on

[00:01:11] Chasing those fellows because both our kids were hyperactive

[00:01:15] Oh yeah yeah

[00:01:17] Did you ever think politics was going to be your journey and your destination

[00:01:21] See you've known me

[00:01:23] I am sure even you realise that I was not even thinking in that direction

[00:01:27] And I think I partially hold you responsible for taking me in that direction

[00:01:32] Because of what happened the 24th, 26th, 11th how you stepped in

[00:01:36] and you got the women bloggers to come on board

[00:01:38] and we started the India Helps

[00:01:40] You know the blog

[00:01:42] And it was such a satisfying feeling

[00:01:44] Can you tell us a little bit about that

[00:01:46] So you know what happened was when the 26th, 11th terror attacks happened

[00:01:51] and even during the school gate

[00:01:53] when we used to stand outside the school gate

[00:01:55] wait for two naughty children to come

[00:01:57] to take them home

[00:01:59] There was an incident that happened

[00:02:02] I think some people from MNS came inside

[00:02:04] barged inside the school

[00:02:06] and started to throw stones

[00:02:08] and vandalise it

[00:02:10] What was the reason for doing that

[00:02:12] Something happened with some kid

[00:02:14] Something triggered

[00:02:16] and both of us got home and worked up

[00:02:18] and we were like activism

[00:02:20] and we cannot have school children

[00:02:22] as school going kids exposed to violence

[00:02:24] So it began with that

[00:02:26] and then India Helps

[00:02:28] 26, 11 terror attacks when they happened

[00:02:31] I think a lot of my trajectory

[00:02:33] career trajectory changed

[00:02:35] post that

[00:02:37] it made me realise as a citizen of the city

[00:02:39] as well as of the nation

[00:02:41] we need to be more involved with

[00:02:43] how our policies shape up etc

[00:02:45] but that came much later

[00:02:47] First was the immediate need to help

[00:02:49] and it was Kiran who stepped up

[00:02:51] and she got all the women bloggers

[00:02:53] who were known bloggers working in their space

[00:02:55] to come forward

[00:02:57] and kind of contribute

[00:02:59] especially those victims who did not find immediate support

[00:03:02] from the TARG trust

[00:03:04] Tata trust etc

[00:03:06] so we did that for one year

[00:03:08] So that I think I hold her partially responsible

[00:03:10] for bringing me

[00:03:12] as I should express gratitude

[00:03:14] No, as I hold you responsible

[00:03:16] for getting me to write books

[00:03:18] Good

[00:03:20] I mean you know so both women

[00:03:22] were going on

[00:03:24] but I didn't know I had that in me

[00:03:26] to go and fight the world

[00:03:28] and of course take on

[00:03:30] Were you doing something else at the time?

[00:03:32] Yeah I had a recruitment firm

[00:03:34] so I was working with Channel B

[00:03:36] Shunali

[00:03:38] I hope you remember those days when you were handling the PR

[00:03:40] So we had tables

[00:03:42] diagonally opposite to each other

[00:03:44] but I'm sure we never really got to speak

[00:03:46] because you used to come for 2-3 hours

[00:03:48] Both of you told her to go

[00:03:50] So involved in Viva

[00:03:52] That's right, oh my god you've never had this conversation

[00:03:54] You were sitting right outside Amartheb's

[00:03:56] I was sitting right next to it myself

[00:03:58] So listen there is connection

[00:04:00] before friendship

[00:04:02] Amazing

[00:04:04] So you had a recruitment firm

[00:04:06] So I resigned from Channel B

[00:04:08] because I had a small child

[00:04:10] and we were moving to Calcutta

[00:04:12] When I came back from Calcutta

[00:04:14] I realised that there was this huge

[00:04:16] misfit between what

[00:04:18] candidates are sent to media houses

[00:04:20] as what their expectation from them

[00:04:22] So recruitment firms usually fail

[00:04:24] on that front

[00:04:26] where media is concerned

[00:04:28] especially broadcast media

[00:04:30] and you know how their working hours are

[00:04:32] you know the creative people

[00:04:34] they come in late hours

[00:04:36] early mornings etc

[00:04:38] So I thought I would fit in there because I've seen

[00:04:40] that work experience and work life

[00:04:42] and that recruitment firm was doing pretty well

[00:04:44] it was a boutique firm

[00:04:46] and I was working out of homes

[00:04:48] This was when you returned from Calcutta

[00:04:50] When I returned from Calcutta

[00:04:52] I could do justice to both roles mother as well as

[00:04:54] career

[00:04:56] So I started this firm and it was doing decently well

[00:04:58] but it was this that kind of took me away from

[00:05:00] you know

[00:05:02] this entire idea of earning money

[00:05:04] all the time and thinking of self-serving ideas

[00:05:06] So at this point

[00:05:08] we also got involved with this

[00:05:10] pavement school

[00:05:12] I think that was your turning point Priyanka

[00:05:14] I think it could be but basically it led you there

[00:05:16] right? You were looking for solutions

[00:05:18] as a citizen of Mumbai

[00:05:20] who actually loves the city

[00:05:22] a city which has given me everything

[00:05:24] happiness

[00:05:26] tears, success

[00:05:28] everything

[00:05:30] you want to pay back and at a time like that

[00:05:32] so I think it began with that and then you want to find solutions

[00:05:34] to problems

[00:05:36] What is plaguing my city?

[00:05:38] How are we helping the children who are coming from

[00:05:40] lesser privileged backgrounds

[00:05:42] So the pavement school movement started

[00:05:44] where we started a pavement school

[00:05:46] along with the people from

[00:05:48] Nanshakaran in Andheri

[00:05:50] they were starting

[00:05:52] while they were continuing

[00:05:54] in Andheri there were some trustees

[00:05:56] who wanted to move beyond Andheri

[00:05:58] So they started in Goregaon

[00:06:00] so the pavement school began right opposite our school

[00:06:02] so we were very engaged in that

[00:06:04] and that is how things moved from one to the other

[00:06:06] that's when the Youth Congress

[00:06:08] was opening up to people who were coming

[00:06:10] from non-political background

[00:06:12] Rahul Gandhi had initiated this idea

[00:06:14] which I think was a phenomenal idea

[00:06:16] and I remember telling her listen let me just give it a shot

[00:06:18] the Youth Congress

[00:06:20] are you crazy?

[00:06:22] my husband are you crazy?

[00:06:24] are you crazy?

[00:06:26] but I was like no I want to do this

[00:06:28] so this is how it began

[00:06:30] So you were already on social media

[00:06:32] and you were already fighting tooth and nail for the congress

[00:06:34] before you formally enrolled

[00:06:36] with the congress

[00:06:38] so there was that political key already in you

[00:06:40] I think blackberry did that

[00:06:42] twitter did that

[00:06:44] so that's how it was

[00:06:46] twitter was a place where we were exchanging ideas

[00:06:48] we were also getting a lot of

[00:06:50] I would say

[00:06:52] a voice, a platform

[00:06:54] to raise our voices

[00:06:56] and people I mean I remember

[00:06:58] when twitter used to be a happy space

[00:07:00] we used to have conversations beyond politics

[00:07:02] you should share music

[00:07:04] but you felt a skin in the game

[00:07:06] in changing bringing about

[00:07:08] any kind of a change

[00:07:10] political change in the country

[00:07:12] you felt invested and you felt you could do it

[00:07:14] absolutely

[00:07:16] did you ever feel that not having a political background

[00:07:18] and being a woman

[00:07:20] in a primarily male dominated terrain

[00:07:22] in a primarily male dominated terrain

[00:07:24] was that like

[00:07:26] a struggle, a disadvantage

[00:07:28] you have to learn, unlearn

[00:07:30] so yes it was definitely

[00:07:32] something which I felt

[00:07:34] if I had those connections

[00:07:36] if I knew how things work

[00:07:38] things would be easier for me

[00:07:40] in that sense I would have felt more

[00:07:42] heard in the system

[00:07:44] so once you sucked into this entire

[00:07:46] organizational political

[00:07:48] spaces

[00:07:50] some voices are heard and some voices are not

[00:07:52] unfortunately many have to just

[00:07:54] drop out of it because they can't cope

[00:07:56] with that pressure but I was very

[00:07:58] single-mindedly focused, the good thing was

[00:08:00] at that time the Anna

[00:08:02] Andolan movement began

[00:08:04] there were many people

[00:08:06] who were not political were coming forward

[00:08:08] and wanting to engage the civil society

[00:08:10] who was wanting to engage with the political system

[00:08:12] so there was a whole new

[00:08:14] platform which was opening up

[00:08:16] and there were voices being heard

[00:08:18] suddenly women were the conscious

[00:08:20] voices which were coming out and saying that no more

[00:08:22] Nirbhaya's

[00:08:24] those things that happened turned into

[00:08:26] a catalyst where political parties felt

[00:08:28] we need women voices

[00:08:30] women who understand the political system

[00:08:32] who can speak, who have a mind of their own

[00:08:34] who are ready to stand up

[00:08:36] so this is how it all triggered

[00:08:38] and it became a platform which

[00:08:40] I would say kind of made it

[00:08:42] the journey a little more easier because I knew

[00:08:44] what my strength was, I knew it was communication

[00:08:46] I knew social media platforms something that

[00:08:48] Congress hasn't woken up to

[00:08:50] so the L Red also used to keep a blog

[00:08:52] a book review blog

[00:08:54] I mean I don't know any politician

[00:08:56] in this country who has that kind of a background

[00:08:58] with you know...

[00:09:00] no boss there are many who read it

[00:09:02] but yeah they don't talk about it

[00:09:04] this is a Tharu

[00:09:06] of course Tharu is an author

[00:09:08] I hope to be at the author bit also

[00:09:10] to my...

[00:09:12] it is only going to be a funny book

[00:09:14] from a tweet you can tell

[00:09:16] she has that

[00:09:18] it will definitely be a funny book on how

[00:09:20] politics works and how women in politics

[00:09:22] we want some of that funniness

[00:09:24] spilled over now

[00:09:26] you know I remember an incident

[00:09:28] we both went to Barkha's show

[00:09:30] oh yeah this was

[00:09:32] after 20s

[00:09:34] yeah 26-11 right

[00:09:36] no no it was more soon

[00:09:38] the 26 July rains

[00:09:40] no no it was about the terrorist attacks

[00:09:42] oh it was it about 26-11

[00:09:44] we were both sitting in the audience and I remember Priyanka telling me very

[00:09:46] very carefully

[00:09:48] very formally and very surely

[00:09:50] next time I'm not going to come to sit in audience

[00:09:52] oh my god

[00:09:54] we had got as audience

[00:09:56] we were just audience

[00:09:58] because you know we were involved in India

[00:10:00] and Barkha probably

[00:10:02] wanted two of us on the show

[00:10:04] as the audience

[00:10:06] and I was like boss I'll be on the panel one day

[00:10:08] I'm not going to do these audience

[00:10:10] I'm not going to be sitting in the audience ever again

[00:10:12] it happened

[00:10:14] see manifestation has happened

[00:10:16] yeah it does happen I tell you

[00:10:18] I am a strong believer of that

[00:10:20] because I always felt I'll be in the parliament one day

[00:10:22] I never thought the process

[00:10:24] how it will happen because

[00:10:26] I remember once me and my husband were arguing

[00:10:28] that career you know

[00:10:30] you've given up a lot of your stuff

[00:10:32] and you're focusing on a career which is so uncertain

[00:10:34] politics is an uncertain field

[00:10:36] and look how they look at women and blah blah blah

[00:10:38] where do you see yourself

[00:10:40] we are fighting and he said it much more harshly

[00:10:42] turn up the volume

[00:10:44] turn up the volume

[00:10:46] and you know how big trouble is at times

[00:10:48] so I was like listen

[00:10:50] I know I'm going to the parliament

[00:10:52] he had this shock on his face

[00:10:54] she went talking about it

[00:10:56] I was very clear about

[00:10:58] some things that maybe I'll contribute better

[00:11:00] in the Indian parliament

[00:11:02] then I'd be able to contribute through

[00:11:04] let's say an assembly

[00:11:06] a state etc. I'd rather be a voice of the nation

[00:11:08] a voice of the people

[00:11:10] of the nation

[00:11:12] and he was like what is she talking even

[00:11:14] you know she's so bizarre

[00:11:16] she has no clue

[00:11:18] and how you plan to go there

[00:11:20] somehow

[00:11:22] so I think I'm a big believer

[00:11:24] in manifesting something loudly

[00:11:26] and saying that yes this is what I want

[00:11:28] and it happens

[00:11:30] but I say it in a close circle

[00:11:32] I'm only the booker one day

[00:11:34] just sing that

[00:11:36] you guys have made a mess

[00:11:38] even though you bought 100 copies

[00:11:40] you'll have to do it

[00:11:42] 100%

[00:11:44] he said he's talking about the boot capture

[00:11:46] already making a mess

[00:11:48] book setting

[00:11:50] setting

[00:11:52] what were the initial hurdles

[00:11:54] that and struggles

[00:11:56] as a woman face

[00:11:58] when you were finding your

[00:12:00] navigating your way through the world of politics

[00:12:02] so first is that they don't take you seriously right?

[00:12:04] no

[00:12:06] you have to be loud, loudest

[00:12:08] to be heard

[00:12:10] and that was just not in me

[00:12:12] to get louder

[00:12:14] I'm still not the pushy type

[00:12:16] I wouldn't say push my way into the first row

[00:12:18] I just don't do it

[00:12:20] I think it's a lot like

[00:12:22] even in politics now

[00:12:24] there is a need for people

[00:12:26] who can connect

[00:12:28] who can speak

[00:12:30] who can put their parties point of view across

[00:12:32] and I think I realized that this was my space

[00:12:34] and I would say I was the first

[00:12:36] mover on social media

[00:12:38] few of us were the first movers on social media

[00:12:40] of course there was Dr. Thirur

[00:12:42] but then there were the rest of us

[00:12:44] the millions right?

[00:12:46] through that platform we made a voice to her

[00:12:48] we had Omar Abdulazhi who was the chief minister

[00:12:50] and who was used to chill on twitter

[00:12:52] yeah he was my first doctor

[00:12:54] Dr. Thirur used to chill on twitter

[00:12:56] but suddenly everyone became judgmental

[00:12:58] everyone like oh look the chief minister

[00:13:00] has so much time to tweet to people

[00:13:02] but otherwise it was such a beautiful space

[00:13:04] it was a lovely space

[00:13:06] you would have to watch your back all the time

[00:13:08] you could say what you wanted to do

[00:13:10] so Congress of course did not understand

[00:13:12] what are we talking about

[00:13:14] what this transition is all about

[00:13:16] people are directly talking to their representatives

[00:13:18] they just did not understand that

[00:13:20] so of course Laudh Lauda Laudh is the highest

[00:13:22] problem

[00:13:24] maybe she's not serious about this

[00:13:26] she's coming from a totally non-political background

[00:13:28] how much will she survive

[00:13:30] but I would say there were few people

[00:13:32] who helped me through this journey

[00:13:34] otherwise it would have been very difficult

[00:13:36] but I didn't have any mentor

[00:13:38] one thing I really regret is

[00:13:40] there was nobody who could stand up for me

[00:13:42] and say

[00:13:44] you know what Priyanka is saying just here

[00:13:46] her whatever I made through was because

[00:13:48] of what I was bringing to you

[00:13:50] but did you have like a role model

[00:13:52] or somebody you could look up to and admire

[00:13:54] and say well if she can do it so can I

[00:13:56] no I wanted to be a role model myself

[00:13:58] wonderful

[00:14:00] unfortunately role models

[00:14:02] in political spaces

[00:14:04] everyone has their grace right

[00:14:06] though I look up to Indira Gandhi

[00:14:08] but of course she has her grace

[00:14:10] but in terms of role model

[00:14:12] how I will fit myself into this political system

[00:14:14] there was none

[00:14:16] I was learning myself

[00:14:18] I was trying to understand it myself

[00:14:20] and obviously if you

[00:14:22] and also you know the whatever little

[00:14:24] space that I created

[00:14:26] because I was not competition

[00:14:28] not competition in the sense I'm not asking for a ticket

[00:14:30] I'm not asking for your space

[00:14:32] I'm not saying make me X, Y, Z

[00:14:34] till then they're comfortable

[00:14:36] the minute you start saying that hello

[00:14:38] I want to be a

[00:14:40] that's when problems begin

[00:14:42] so initially I was learning and I was

[00:14:44] whatever roles given to me

[00:14:46] and that is how it functions

[00:14:48] it is tough for a woman to keep

[00:14:50] proving herself again and again

[00:14:52] in this entire system

[00:14:54] and then there are groups

[00:14:56] there are multiple groups

[00:14:58] and in those multiple groups where do you fit

[00:15:00] in and

[00:15:02] lose talk is so

[00:15:04] damaging especially

[00:15:06] for a woman there's so much loose talk around you

[00:15:08] which you don't get to hear

[00:15:10] but you know someone has already

[00:15:12] so there were times when I was

[00:15:14] there was so much loose chat about me

[00:15:16] and I did not know because I used to come back to Mumbai

[00:15:18] but Delhi is there you know

[00:15:20] Delhi circle is chatting chatting chatting

[00:15:22] and it's like the Chinese is per everybody

[00:15:24] he's talking to everybody and suddenly there's this narrative about me

[00:15:26] which was like hey

[00:15:28] who are you even talking about that's not me

[00:15:30] and they say I'm not gossip

[00:15:32] I'm gossip more than women

[00:15:34] that's the biggest myth in the world

[00:15:36] and we're busted like right now on today's podcast

[00:15:38] we're busted it

[00:15:40] I wanted you to talk about

[00:15:42] the other aspect of being a woman politician

[00:15:44] I have seen you traveling non-stop

[00:15:46] when your kids were so young

[00:15:48] tell us about that

[00:15:50] so what happened was

[00:15:52] Pia was very young

[00:15:54] she was 2

[00:15:56] and I started to, Anitra she hate me

[00:15:58] for calling her Pia on your show

[00:16:00] but Anitra was very young

[00:16:02] she did not understand all of this

[00:16:04] I know a lot because

[00:16:06] they did not have the access to

[00:16:08] having their mother beside them all the time

[00:16:10] I do feel bad about it

[00:16:12] but I did feel that they would understand

[00:16:14] when I went through a lot of guilt pangs

[00:16:16] but I had a very strong support system

[00:16:18] which would step in like my sister is close by

[00:16:20] my mother of course stepped in

[00:16:22] but it is very difficult

[00:16:24] especially I entered politics

[00:16:26] when I had two children already

[00:16:28] and those two children

[00:16:30] were really young

[00:16:32] so you have to

[00:16:34] and then it was like what am I doing

[00:16:36] I fought with my family

[00:16:38] I fought with everybody to be here

[00:16:40] and if I don't see it

[00:16:42] through to what I'm looking at

[00:16:44] then my children will also look at me as

[00:16:46] what was that for

[00:16:48] sacrificing your time, effort, energy

[00:16:50] play time with the children

[00:16:52] whatever fun time with the children

[00:16:54] I remember

[00:16:56] so when I became a spokesperson

[00:16:58] and to be a spokesperson in the congress

[00:17:00] it was like really a challenging task

[00:17:02] you were thrown to the world

[00:17:04] yeah totally

[00:17:06] before the BJP spokesperson speaks up

[00:17:08] there was a media which was already

[00:17:10] saying that hello

[00:17:12] you people should not talk only

[00:17:14] we don't want to hear your side of the story

[00:17:16] so just keep quiet

[00:17:18] what are you coming in defending it for

[00:17:20] also many times it was very difficult

[00:17:22] mentally taxing as well

[00:17:24] weekends maybe debates

[00:17:26] I remember one day

[00:17:28] there were no dinners with the children

[00:17:30] because on weekends you are working

[00:17:32] there is no time

[00:17:34] at 11pm if news breaks

[00:17:36] then you are calling

[00:17:38] and you have to be so mentally

[00:17:40] in tune all the time

[00:17:42] fully on all the time

[00:17:44] that you don't mess up

[00:17:46] for your party

[00:17:48] I was so conscious of that responsibility

[00:17:50] I must tell you

[00:17:52] whenever I got any responsibility

[00:17:54] I become really like engaged

[00:17:56] forget about myself

[00:17:58] but of the organization I am representing

[00:18:00] because they have given me this profile

[00:18:02] and I will always be grateful

[00:18:04] to the congress for that

[00:18:06] whatever I put into it

[00:18:08] was my own hard work, effort, energy

[00:18:10] to kind of prove myself

[00:18:12] so I remember once

[00:18:14] where we had a dinner plan

[00:18:16] and suddenly I got a call from Delhi office

[00:18:18] saying that there is a debate

[00:18:20] urgently some other spokesperson has dropped out

[00:18:22] you are the only one who fits in

[00:18:24] and I was excited that mama is going to be home

[00:18:26] and we are going out for dinner after months

[00:18:28] and I had to break the news

[00:18:30] and more than my children

[00:18:32] I think it was my husband who reacted

[00:18:34] I reacted really badly

[00:18:36] really badly

[00:18:38] you can't do this

[00:18:40] we are all struggling in our space

[00:18:42] which is fine but you can just dump

[00:18:44] a plan that we have made

[00:18:46] and it happens very often

[00:18:48] so we plan to go to a movie

[00:18:50] or whatever, suddenly work comes up

[00:18:52] so this happens

[00:18:54] but I think now the kids are seeing

[00:18:56] the struggle

[00:18:58] that I put in my 100%

[00:19:00] into something

[00:19:02] so I think the kids probably would learn commitment

[00:19:04] but they appreciate this today

[00:19:06] they did it even then

[00:19:08] otherwise it would be a difficult task for me

[00:19:10] speaking of that time

[00:19:12] what did you personally go through

[00:19:14] because I will just say we are all mothers here

[00:19:16] just this morning we had a studio booking

[00:19:18] and my daughter had her ballet exam in town

[00:19:20] so she suddenly said

[00:19:22] aren't you coming to drop me

[00:19:24] and I said no but you never said

[00:19:26] I came for a mock exam that day

[00:19:28] I have seen you perform

[00:19:30] she said but other mothers are coming

[00:19:32] so I promptly said okay

[00:19:34] I will come to drop you

[00:19:36] and I will not sit through your

[00:19:38] while you are taking the exam inside

[00:19:40] and I will wish you all the best

[00:19:42] kiss you and take my car back

[00:19:44] head back home directly

[00:19:46] because I had to come here

[00:19:48] I did it in record time from my house

[00:19:50] to Breach County, Sofaya College and back

[00:19:52] but I am saying that is what being a mother is

[00:19:54] it's always a race against time

[00:19:56] dealing with all sorts of guilt

[00:19:58] and yet we have our own aspirations

[00:20:00] our own

[00:20:02] for me my aspiration was to stand stick to the commitment

[00:20:04] we had made today to record this

[00:20:06] yours was your political party

[00:20:08] and its needs which are not

[00:20:10] they don't run on the clock

[00:20:12] so what would I mean

[00:20:14] I know it's all well and good

[00:20:16] it works out well but

[00:20:18] if you revisit that time

[00:20:20] what were your emotions

[00:20:22] I tell you many women who joined along with me

[00:20:24] in that flow of youth congress

[00:20:26] is taking non-political people

[00:20:28] none of them

[00:20:30] could cope with that stress

[00:20:32] and they were single women right

[00:20:34] till like Kriyanka we have to get married

[00:20:36] we have other issues in life

[00:20:38] we have a career to look at

[00:20:40] how can we just give it up all for this

[00:20:42] they just left the system

[00:20:44] and of course two children

[00:20:46] and this entire dilemma of

[00:20:48] not being able to be there for the children

[00:20:50] I remember one Pia

[00:20:52] Anantra's annual day

[00:20:54] and I had to go to some

[00:20:56] Manish market or something

[00:20:58] they had these outfits

[00:21:00] they were all the parents

[00:21:02] they were all the parents

[00:21:04] they were all the parents

[00:21:06] the mothers are not there

[00:21:08] or the mothers are not creative enough

[00:21:10] the mothers won't make that kind of effort

[00:21:12] I told them

[00:21:14] encourage them to make some simple project

[00:21:16] but they were those fancy ones

[00:21:18] and then my kids used to come home

[00:21:20] and they were like look

[00:21:22] look at what their mothers are

[00:21:24] and they realized that those projects were rented

[00:21:26] I had lost a lot of rock

[00:21:28] they built inertia

[00:21:30] so don't beat yourself over it

[00:21:32] okay

[00:21:34] she told me why don't you draw

[00:21:36] some image draw

[00:21:38] the way I was a bad singer

[00:21:40] draw

[00:21:42] she told me very politely

[00:21:44] she was asking me

[00:21:46] Mom

[00:21:48] what can you draw

[00:21:50] she said to make a woman

[00:21:52] and doing some task

[00:21:54] she was doing

[00:21:56] and you drew a horse

[00:21:58] no I did draw a horse

[00:22:00] it was not very horsy

[00:22:02] it was a horsey mailer

[00:22:04] I told her and I gave her such a bad star

[00:22:06] the poor girl took it

[00:22:08] unfortunately you have a mother

[00:22:10] who can't draw what do I do

[00:22:12] but I think these schools are like

[00:22:14] they have some crazy demands

[00:22:16] but more than schools having these demands

[00:22:18] it's a mother who will make it

[00:22:20] did you face the judgment

[00:22:22] I know

[00:22:24] my husband one day told me

[00:22:26] just drop out of the group

[00:22:28] I hate to say it

[00:22:30] there was some group

[00:22:32] it used to mentally like oh god look

[00:22:34] that mom is doing this

[00:22:36] my poor children are sitting at home

[00:22:38] while the mother is busy working

[00:22:40] because in her summers

[00:22:42] there was a national party

[00:22:44] congress party you have to go there

[00:22:46] spend months there

[00:22:48] whatever they tell you to go otherwise

[00:22:50] you are losing out on this so

[00:22:52] no actually as a working mother

[00:22:54] and this is slightly different subject from women in politics

[00:22:56] but it's all the same

[00:22:58] as a working mother

[00:23:00] when class moms are meeting for lunches

[00:23:02] now weekdays is my writing time

[00:23:04] I get ready for lunch and show up somewhere

[00:23:06] so whenever I couldn't

[00:23:08] I had writing commitment to do a deadline

[00:23:10] I would say I can't come

[00:23:12] and one day my daughter said mama

[00:23:14] all the mothers beat for lunch

[00:23:16] but you are not even there

[00:23:18] but they talk about it later

[00:23:20] so pressure on a mother comes

[00:23:22] from the simplest and the most ridiculous of things

[00:23:24] and then they all virtue signalling online

[00:23:26] on the whatsapp group

[00:23:28] many are doing it

[00:23:30] generally so I am not trashing mother

[00:23:32] I am not involved

[00:23:34] if you are sort of borderline not that involved

[00:23:36] you feel inadequate as a mother

[00:23:38] and then your child starts to feel that

[00:23:40] I remember and this is something that really

[00:23:42] got me so worked up because

[00:23:44] there was a joint project

[00:23:46] which the students had to do

[00:23:48] so there was a group of mothers

[00:23:50] this is for my daughter

[00:23:52] a group of mothers that was

[00:23:54] the ones who were in that same group

[00:23:56] they made a whatsapp group

[00:23:58] and we were exchanging

[00:24:00] my daughter who was crying

[00:24:02] like crazy

[00:24:04] and I said what happened

[00:24:06] my husband comes on the line

[00:24:08] and he is one of the mothers

[00:24:10] has called up Anitra

[00:24:12] and she has shouted her lungs out

[00:24:14] Anitra for something

[00:24:16] about some project

[00:24:18] that you probably haven't read

[00:24:20] or you are just so busy in your life

[00:24:22] because of which Anitra had to hear it out

[00:24:24] I was like are you kidding me

[00:24:26] I looked at the whatsapp messages

[00:24:28] and I called up the mother

[00:24:30] I said this is just not done

[00:24:32] whatever pressures you live with in your life

[00:24:34] we love to get tremendous more pressure

[00:24:36] but don't take it out on my child

[00:24:38] and I think my daughter lost a lot of confidence

[00:24:40] because a lot of times

[00:24:42] there was no one around

[00:24:44] to fight that fight

[00:24:46] and I think it is real

[00:24:48] I was realising that those who are places

[00:24:50] where you falter are but you are human

[00:24:52] and you are a parent for the first time

[00:24:54] and you are making a career for yourself

[00:24:56] and you are doing your own challenges

[00:24:58] this is what I feel is very unfair

[00:25:00] Priyanka Shanali

[00:25:02] it is the mothers responsibility always

[00:25:04] the father is also there

[00:25:06] the father can also be on the whatsapp loop

[00:25:08] there is no rule that says

[00:25:10] oh yes we joined the whatsapp loop

[00:25:12] you take responsibility

[00:25:14] so a lot of it

[00:25:16] we actually sat down

[00:25:18] because a lot of places we felt

[00:25:20] that we can't have

[00:25:22] because of our both schedule

[00:25:24] our schedules we can't have the children

[00:25:26] have to

[00:25:28] to answer to a lot of people

[00:25:30] so we did understand our

[00:25:32] responsibilities and core areas

[00:25:34] what we can contribute and what is

[00:25:36] something that I can't contribute where he can fill in

[00:25:38] otherwise address it through some

[00:25:40] other mechanism right

[00:25:42] it happens

[00:25:44] I think

[00:25:46] everyone says oh no we can manage it all

[00:25:48] these new age moms

[00:25:50] nobody can manage it

[00:25:52] look at some reasons

[00:25:54] and I am like wow what a mother

[00:25:56] I know

[00:25:58] I will never be that

[00:26:00] no no it is true

[00:26:02] firstly you can't have it all

[00:26:04] now you see my mother's 5 children

[00:26:06] take care of the 5 children

[00:26:08] how much time can we give

[00:26:10] take care of them

[00:26:12] these days mother

[00:26:14] so when he was in the US

[00:26:16] he was finding it difficult to adjust

[00:26:18] lots of mothers told me

[00:26:20] we have to break our career for 2 months

[00:26:22] you stay with him for 2 months

[00:26:24] and sit there

[00:26:26] so many moms are doing this

[00:26:28] we should stop making your dreams come true

[00:26:30] we raised a very fragile generation

[00:26:32] we have all one way or the other

[00:26:34] contributed to it

[00:26:36] I mean you clearly haven't

[00:26:38] but I am just saying that

[00:26:40] no they told me what are you doing

[00:26:42] you should be there

[00:26:44] they are not resilient

[00:26:46] I am like he will have to learn to adjust

[00:26:48] he is a mom who is pushing her son to do it

[00:26:50] that's the right word

[00:26:52] but come on

[00:26:54] I mean how will we do it

[00:26:56] we will handle it

[00:26:58] I remember I had to sit down

[00:27:00] my daughter one day because she used to make me feel very guilty

[00:27:02] of course she had every reason

[00:27:04] listen it's a thing right when the class all kids are talking about

[00:27:06] my mom my mom

[00:27:08] so in her mind

[00:27:10] my mother never is seen for an annual

[00:27:12] PTA

[00:27:14] I have never attended her

[00:27:16] nobody has seen my mother

[00:27:18] so they say she was never there

[00:27:20] you are always busy

[00:27:22] so one day I had to sit her down

[00:27:24] I said Anitra what if there was no mother

[00:27:26] of course

[00:27:28] so now that she understood

[00:27:30] now that she came

[00:27:32] but she toned down that a bit

[00:27:34] and I was like you will have to adjust to this

[00:27:36] ideas here and that you have

[00:27:38] a mother who has chosen a career which is a lot more difficult

[00:27:40] in the movie she has spoken about it

[00:27:42] she has spoken about her struggles

[00:27:44] and actually when she said it I felt a sense of relief

[00:27:46] actually someone said it

[00:27:48] because it becomes really difficult

[00:27:50] at times

[00:27:52] but I have helped all those mothers who can manage it all

[00:27:54] just elaborate on the many part of the episode

[00:27:56] Inira Nui spoke about publicly

[00:27:58] that when she returned home from

[00:28:00] being made

[00:28:02] I forget the post

[00:28:04] her mother asked her to

[00:28:06] her mother said that's all fine

[00:28:08] you have been promoted

[00:28:10] the husband had been home

[00:28:12] so I think

[00:28:14] there is a lot of conditioning

[00:28:16] that women in India go through

[00:28:18] I think maybe across the world

[00:28:20] this is conditioning

[00:28:22] that you should be responsible for the house

[00:28:24] the other day I know she is not

[00:28:26] important or significant enough

[00:28:28] that she is not

[00:28:30] what does she speak

[00:28:32] maybe it's five balls

[00:28:34] it can't be that

[00:28:36] no no no

[00:28:38] it is a belief system

[00:28:40] no men and women are meant to be equal

[00:28:42] but only to an extent

[00:28:44] because we are basically meant to be nurturers

[00:28:46] is she nurturing for her career right now

[00:28:48] I am just saying that

[00:28:50] you trash feminism

[00:28:52] you trash feminism

[00:28:54] but if it weren't for feminism you wouldn't be doing what you do

[00:28:56] and speaking

[00:28:58] and being able to say this on camera

[00:29:00] and you would be sitting in a kitchen

[00:29:02] with a veil over your head and probably cooking

[00:29:04] women think we also

[00:29:06] what's the big deal

[00:29:08] women in America and Europe had to fight for those rights

[00:29:10] that's a suggestion

[00:29:12] before you have fought this

[00:29:14] so today where you are

[00:29:16] the platform you've managed to get

[00:29:18] is because someone has fought that fight

[00:29:20] I remember I was on a podcast

[00:29:22] with Pinkrilla

[00:29:24] and Manisha Koirala Ji saying this

[00:29:26] there were no women makeup artists

[00:29:28] they were allowed as hairstylists

[00:29:30] but not makeup artists

[00:29:32] they were not given those licenses

[00:29:34] to show themselves as makeup artists

[00:29:36] so I think she broke that trend

[00:29:38] she said it's not happening

[00:29:40] I need to have women

[00:29:42] if I choose to have a woman as a makeup artist

[00:29:44] why can't she be a makeup artist

[00:29:46] why she reduced to just being a hairstylist

[00:29:48] so I think those are those fights

[00:29:50] maybe probably not enough for the he's not aware of it

[00:29:52] how can you know

[00:29:54] Manisha Koirala even went on to say

[00:29:56] that they had to sign a contract

[00:29:58] that they won't get pregnant during the movie making process

[00:30:00] and they fought those fights

[00:30:02] so probably

[00:30:04] people called the new generation of stars

[00:30:06] that are coming out

[00:30:08] they haven't seen those fights

[00:30:10] they haven't seen the struggle of women actors

[00:30:12] have probably gone through

[00:30:14] so maybe read a book

[00:30:16] let's see what is happening

[00:30:18] let's see what's happening in America right now

[00:30:22] agency and consent

[00:30:24] right to pregnancy

[00:30:26] women's right to abortion

[00:30:28] if this is what is happening

[00:30:30] in a country like the US

[00:30:32] it's scary what can happen to the rest of the world

[00:30:34] in fact I was in

[00:30:36] I mean I would participate

[00:30:38] in those protests but I saw so many women

[00:30:40] coming out and protesting

[00:30:42] I was in the US at that point in time

[00:30:44] when the Roe v. Wade

[00:30:46] was picking up

[00:30:48] and it was crazy

[00:30:50] but nobody seems to be listening to them

[00:30:52] this is the handmade stale

[00:30:54] it's not all fiction actually

[00:30:56] it is in a way exactly

[00:30:58] an exaggerated presentation

[00:31:00] that can be done to women's bodies

[00:31:02] and they write over their own bodies

[00:31:04] actually ma'am Hargadar Adwood did say that

[00:31:06] she did say that whatever is presented in the handmade stale

[00:31:08] everything has happened in this world before

[00:31:10] it is nothing that I have made up

[00:31:12] absolutely

[00:31:14] I found that book

[00:31:16] I couldn't get through it

[00:31:18] so then I gave it up

[00:31:20] it was too disturbing

[00:31:22] I know it's a

[00:31:24] the handmade stale

[00:31:26] and then if you watch even the series

[00:31:28] at so many levels to watch it

[00:31:30] even the most

[00:31:32] even an aura fetehi will be triggered

[00:31:34] and to understand that if we forfeit

[00:31:36] our rights and all our fights

[00:31:38] and there is no harmless statement made on a public platform

[00:31:40] because it has far reaching

[00:31:42] consequences somebody out there

[00:31:44] is saying yeah yeah yeah she is right

[00:31:46] absolutely

[00:31:48] considering that Reel went viral

[00:31:50] and everybody was like yes someone needed to say this

[00:31:52] someone needed to say this what

[00:31:54] I was in the parliament

[00:31:56] discussion on termination of pregnancy

[00:31:58] where we were increasing the termination of pregnancy

[00:32:00] to 626 weeks

[00:32:02] right so I remember one woman

[00:32:04] coming in saying

[00:32:06] when our mothers and sisters are raped

[00:32:08] they get rights

[00:32:10] I said boss it's not just about

[00:32:12] this it's about a woman's agency

[00:32:14] forget just being raped

[00:32:16] if she doesn't want to go through having that child

[00:32:18] maybe she is the only person

[00:32:20] maybe she is also a divorce

[00:32:22] maybe she doesn't she feels she is not mentally

[00:32:24] ready to handle the child

[00:32:26] I would button here and say something

[00:32:28] very interesting

[00:32:30] there is a woman who was abandoned by her husband

[00:32:32] he kept a mistress

[00:32:34] and the child as well

[00:32:36] and this woman works for me

[00:32:38] she is in sort of a live in

[00:32:40] relationship with somebody

[00:32:42] and she was asking me

[00:32:44] not long ago that you know

[00:32:46] I am too old now my first child was taken away from me

[00:32:48] do you think I can have a child

[00:32:50] I said of course you can have a child well into your 40s nowadays

[00:32:52] and then

[00:32:54] about a month and half later

[00:32:56] she discovered she was pregnant

[00:32:58] now her boyfriend is desperate

[00:33:00] to marry her this family is happy to accept

[00:33:02] see people look at the progressive society

[00:33:04] at least in bobe in pockets

[00:33:06] it's happening in pockets okay I know that

[00:33:08] and this is underprivileged section

[00:33:10] so I am just talking about these are

[00:33:12] you are less than just mental you know

[00:33:14] no so I think you know she is in her 30 then

[00:33:16] so she was

[00:33:18] I said you should be really happy because this is what you really wanted

[00:33:20] to call my own she got a little kitten

[00:33:22] so she said billy ke laavavita I need someone

[00:33:24] to call my own someone to take care of me when I am older

[00:33:26] so I said I was so happy for her

[00:33:28] I just returned from a trip and I said wow she is pregnant

[00:33:30] there was no judgment from I said naturally

[00:33:32] yeah absolutely and then

[00:33:34] she was going through the trimester issues

[00:33:36] you know nausea and dizziness or whatever

[00:33:38] and then one day she just

[00:33:40] tells me I am not going to keep this child

[00:33:42] like 10 days later

[00:33:44] I said but you wanted this

[00:33:46] she said look he is not going to pay his bills

[00:33:48] okay I asked him that we moved into a bigger room

[00:33:50] I asked him to pay the deposit

[00:33:52] and she has been staying in my house

[00:33:54] because I am short staffed right now

[00:33:56] she says so I had to

[00:33:58] pay that money for the deposit

[00:34:00] and I have realized that he doesn't own as much

[00:34:02] as me and he is a lallu

[00:34:04] so he is never going to do it

[00:34:06] so I am going to the doctor and I am going to take a pill

[00:34:08] so I said please sleep on it

[00:34:10] you can still have this child without the man

[00:34:12] she said no no I am not going to be bothered

[00:34:14] who is going to raise the child I will need to work sooner or later

[00:34:16] I will have someone else in Bombay

[00:34:18] that her family is in some other city

[00:34:20] so she said

[00:34:22] I said I would speak to her

[00:34:24] she said no I loved it

[00:34:26] she did not need to engage him in this conversation

[00:34:28] she went to the gynaac

[00:34:30] she got the pill

[00:34:32] and she came back to my house

[00:34:34] she said I am thinking I will just tell him

[00:34:36] it happened by itself

[00:34:38] no but then she went and told him

[00:34:40] she said I cannot lie

[00:34:42] I told him

[00:34:44] exactly I was

[00:34:46] so proud of her

[00:34:48] absolutely

[00:34:50] although she is sorry that her circumstances are not permitting her

[00:34:52] because who will earn a living for me

[00:34:54] she wants the child but whatever

[00:34:56] at least

[00:34:58] my point is she took a decision

[00:35:00] and she took a decision on her own body based on what she feels

[00:35:02] the world she is going to leave

[00:35:04] the child behind in or what she will face

[00:35:06] that is the crux

[00:35:08] of it all

[00:35:10] a woman's agency is her woman's own

[00:35:12] and what she takes a call on

[00:35:14] and

[00:35:16] I think our laws are pretty progressive

[00:35:18] if you look at India's laws

[00:35:20] they are very progressive

[00:35:22] and I appreciate my country for that

[00:35:24] despite it all

[00:35:26] maybe it could be because of the population

[00:35:28] or whatever reasons

[00:35:30] we have been most scientifically driven about

[00:35:32] these kind of issues

[00:35:34] you are bringing religion into it

[00:35:36] and sentiments into it

[00:35:38] and then they will hold

[00:35:40] various other things that are going on in my nation

[00:35:42] we will sort it out

[00:35:44] sometimes I feel like telling these countries

[00:35:46] we will sort it out

[00:35:48] what do you think about the divorce laws

[00:35:50] in our country

[00:35:52] they are still rigged in the man's favour

[00:35:54] and when will

[00:35:56] there are amendments required

[00:35:58] I am sure there are women's organizations

[00:36:00] talking about it and you yourself worked a lot

[00:36:02] in the area of

[00:36:04] basically

[00:36:06] empowering women and doing things for

[00:36:08] I wouldn't say divorce laws are in the favour of men

[00:36:10] I would be very honest

[00:36:12] it is just that

[00:36:14] of course

[00:36:16] there is a long struggle because

[00:36:18] the decision making

[00:36:20] the conclusion of a process

[00:36:22] that begins takes a lot more time

[00:36:24] why is it that

[00:36:26] I wouldn't say it is the case

[00:36:28] you think that they don't need to

[00:36:30] sort of be made even more favourable

[00:36:32] to women or fair

[00:36:34] when it comes to property

[00:36:36] distribution of wealth

[00:36:38] like in the US it is 50-50

[00:36:40] I think you said

[00:36:42] no no no the settlements that happen

[00:36:44] they are

[00:36:46] actually driven through

[00:36:48] a process

[00:36:50] I wouldn't say that they are in favour of anybody

[00:36:52] I would be very honest about it

[00:36:54] there are 100 issues in my

[00:36:56] judiciary and the laws etc

[00:36:58] I wouldn't say this is one of them

[00:37:00] and I am not talking about affluent classes

[00:37:02] where women can afford

[00:37:04] really good powerful lawyers

[00:37:06] I am talking about the middle classes

[00:37:08] how to divorce a pan out of that today

[00:37:10] no of course there are cases where women feel cheated

[00:37:12] women feel that they haven't been given enough

[00:37:14] that's what I am saying

[00:37:16] there are times where manipulation happens

[00:37:18] those are unfortunate scenarios

[00:37:20] where we need to create awareness in women

[00:37:22] and having said that I think most of the cases

[00:37:24] have seen it has been pretty equitable

[00:37:26] yeah I somehow

[00:37:28] have the impression based on what I have seen already about

[00:37:30] that

[00:37:32] there are some marital laws in terms of

[00:37:34] at least

[00:37:36] that is a controversial topic

[00:37:38] to get on the uniform civil court

[00:37:40] that's a separate thing

[00:37:42] if looked at from a progressive empowerment

[00:37:44] angle I think it is important

[00:37:46] but if it is looked from the political lens

[00:37:48] it would be unfortunate

[00:37:50] any government

[00:37:52] which comes into power I would say

[00:37:54] should look at it from a progressive

[00:37:56] empowerment role

[00:37:58] not through a political space

[00:38:00] as versus them

[00:38:02] there are challenges in our system

[00:38:04] but most of the times you have seen

[00:38:06] wherever personal laws come in

[00:38:08] women do face the consequence

[00:38:10] of it

[00:38:12] as far as Hindu laws are concerned

[00:38:14] they have been pretty progressive

[00:38:16] whether they accuse the court bill

[00:38:18] etc. whatever

[00:38:20] but they have brought women on power with men

[00:38:22] talking about

[00:38:24] women being on power with men

[00:38:26] we recently did an episode on self promotion

[00:38:28] and one of the things we were talking about

[00:38:30] is how we women suck at self promotion

[00:38:32] oh totally

[00:38:34] when we said we women we were speaking about

[00:38:36] only some of us because some women

[00:38:38] you know today

[00:38:40] oh my god

[00:38:42] I know exactly

[00:38:46] so tell us about it

[00:38:48] now this is we were speaking purely from the lens

[00:38:50] of our profession

[00:38:52] tell us from the lens of your profession

[00:38:54] is it

[00:38:56] is it necessary for somebody in politics

[00:38:58] to be some sort of a narcissist

[00:39:00] do you have to

[00:39:02] absolutely I mean

[00:39:04] you have to leave your big shame about your promotion

[00:39:06] you are there

[00:39:08] you are your own

[00:39:10] PR agency

[00:39:12] you are your own narrative creator

[00:39:14] you are your own

[00:39:16] career builder

[00:39:18] and you have to be unapologetic about it

[00:39:20] because I am sorry

[00:39:22] unfortunately in the political space

[00:39:24] you have to fight your fight

[00:39:26] I hate to say it

[00:39:28] I remember when I thought I would bring in

[00:39:30] where as soon as I go into the Rajya Sabha

[00:39:32] I had this brilliant idea that I will bring women

[00:39:34] above their political choices

[00:39:36] okay you have won Rajya from BJP

[00:39:38] you have won from Rishabh Sena

[00:39:40] you have won from Congress

[00:39:42] all of them are on one side

[00:39:44] but gender cause is on the other side

[00:39:46] so you have not done anything for Rajya

[00:39:48] you have come into the Rajya Sabha

[00:39:50] let's create a caucus where we try and bring in

[00:39:52] we need to believe it

[00:39:54] what women reduce themselves to

[00:39:56] they keep fighting over the same size

[00:39:58] of the pie, share of the pie

[00:40:00] they are not working towards pushing the size

[00:40:02] you know making the size larger

[00:40:04] let's include more women

[00:40:06] let's bring in more voices

[00:40:08] don't keep fighting over this little space

[00:40:10] but that is just also like the crab

[00:40:12] bucket of crab thing

[00:40:14] I think Indians is just

[00:40:16] in our country that

[00:40:18] somebody getting a little

[00:40:20] actually in this case

[00:40:22] it wasn't that

[00:40:24] it's just like we are all in this little

[00:40:26] triangular space that we have given

[00:40:28] this little piece of the pie that we have given

[00:40:30] let's just do this

[00:40:32] my idea was but it had nothing to do

[00:40:34] with the space that they have created

[00:40:36] for themselves, it was to do

[00:40:38] let's create more spaces

[00:40:40] let's create a caucus and have a common

[00:40:42] goal towards anyone saying anything

[00:40:44] patriarchal to a woman

[00:40:46] within the caucus

[00:40:48] above of political beliefs

[00:40:50] we can at least speak up for

[00:40:52] gender issues right, for example

[00:40:54] if let's say

[00:40:56] character assassination happens

[00:40:58] or selective targeting happens

[00:41:00] how do we address this

[00:41:02] unfortunately there are not many buyers

[00:41:04] of this idea then there was also

[00:41:06] I remember I was doing this show on Rajesh Sabati

[00:41:08] which I quite enjoyed doing

[00:41:10] except for the part where you should take me

[00:41:12] one hour to do make up and then they used to sell it

[00:41:14] tell me the saree is all wrong you have to go home

[00:41:16] oh god

[00:41:18] because it's not camera

[00:41:20] there is something about stripe saree

[00:41:22] that camera could

[00:41:24] I am a member of

[00:41:26] men, I am not a

[00:41:28] professional TV anchor or something

[00:41:30] but I am trying to do this to bring in the voices of women

[00:41:32] so parliament where of course

[00:41:34] you have known some people

[00:41:36] some women who are more vocal

[00:41:38] there are many more women who are coming from tribal

[00:41:40] areas who come from panchayati Raj to the

[00:41:42] Lok Sabha talking about their journeys

[00:41:44] was phenomenal and there were beautiful stories to share

[00:41:48] so I started to do that

[00:41:50] and I should tell a lot of these women

[00:41:52] who are already well known faces etc

[00:41:54] why don't you come on the show

[00:41:56] let's have you on the show

[00:41:58] why should a woman only interview a woman

[00:42:00] and why should we be telling women stories

[00:42:02] why should we be reduced to

[00:42:04] because I am proud to be a woman

[00:42:06] and I would want more women stories to come out

[00:42:08] for children, girls who are listening to these stories

[00:42:10] can feel inspired

[00:42:12] so what is there

[00:42:14] awareness lacking or interesting

[00:42:16] no there are like male voters

[00:42:18] why should we reduce ourselves to gender issues

[00:42:20] so these are actually things

[00:42:22] which impact the political spaces

[00:42:24] so there is no

[00:42:26] and many of course fear going beyond their political

[00:42:28] parties

[00:42:30] ideas for example

[00:42:32] the bridge Bhushan episode

[00:42:34] that happened

[00:42:36] it was very clear that the women wrestlers

[00:42:38] were saying something you could have at least

[00:42:40] acknowledged it

[00:42:42] you can not be dismissive about it

[00:42:44] I am sure women, parliamentarians could have risen

[00:42:46] about their difference and taken a call on it

[00:42:48] sometimes you reduce your political space

[00:42:50] it was so heartbreaking the way Sakshi Malik was crying

[00:42:52] the way she was fooling

[00:42:54] and was very sad

[00:42:56] it was a lot of charge happening

[00:42:58] it just saddens you at times

[00:43:00] maybe we should do more for

[00:43:02] women

[00:43:04] I definitely think a lot more

[00:43:06] I know you are doing something to get women into politics

[00:43:08] you have that program

[00:43:10] with Prathamthi

[00:43:12] it's amazing because Aditya Ji told me about this

[00:43:14] he told me that

[00:43:16] of course everybody has

[00:43:18] in the corporation level

[00:43:20] we have a 50% reservation

[00:43:22] so what happens is many women

[00:43:24] after they become corporate

[00:43:26] it is like we are happy in this space

[00:43:28] now we don't want to think beyond

[00:43:30] so his idea at that point I remember

[00:43:32] we were discussing this that

[00:43:34] we should start an initiative called Prathamthi

[00:43:36] to get women mentored

[00:43:38] and get them to move beyond

[00:43:40] let's say a corporation level

[00:43:42] or maybe encourage them to fight this fight

[00:43:44] come to the electoral process

[00:43:46] if not the electoral process have a

[00:43:48] well aware voice

[00:43:50] so when you are speaking

[00:43:52] you are speaking with a sense of conviction

[00:43:54] so that is how the Prathamthi idea came about

[00:43:56] where I said this is a brilliant idea

[00:43:58] where we get graduate

[00:44:00] just like lamp fellowship

[00:44:02] I don't know if you are aware of this

[00:44:04] but I mean help parliamentarians

[00:44:06] in their research

[00:44:08] drafting parliamentary questions

[00:44:10] sometimes their speeches giving their inputs etc

[00:44:12] so they end up learning a lot in that process

[00:44:14] because they are attached to parliamentarians

[00:44:16] similarly I started this process

[00:44:18] where we will only bring in women graduates

[00:44:20] who are expecting their graduation results

[00:44:22] give them a 6 month course

[00:44:24] where 3 months they would learn politics

[00:44:26] through women members of parliament

[00:44:28] because many times lamp fellows are not as

[00:44:30] many times they are not assigned to women parliamentarians

[00:44:32] because they also have some numbers

[00:44:34] who they identify and they give it to

[00:44:36] party wise

[00:44:38] so it's the party at times who chooses

[00:44:40] who to assign lamp fellow

[00:44:42] so those are limited as well

[00:44:44] so I started this that they will assist

[00:44:46] only women parliamentarians for 3 months

[00:44:48] and 3 months they will work in the

[00:44:50] policy space which is with the

[00:44:52] Observer Research Foundation

[00:44:54] so when they get out of this entire program

[00:44:56] they are very clear about their opinions

[00:44:58] because many times women go silent

[00:45:00] I remember you telling me you were

[00:45:02] trolled once so much that you just

[00:45:04] chose in order to talk about politics

[00:45:06] so I know all that happens because women

[00:45:08] are dropping out of speaking their mind

[00:45:10] politically at least

[00:45:12] you can speak up on every other issue but as soon as

[00:45:14] you bring in politics there are all sides

[00:45:16] trolling you right?

[00:45:18] and you get browbeaten basically

[00:45:20] women need to have a voice in the

[00:45:22] policy space

[00:45:24] sometimes they feel under confident

[00:45:26] speaking on financial issues

[00:45:28] like digital

[00:45:30] I've seen women parliamentarians also say

[00:45:32] this is not our opinion everything is your field

[00:45:34] everything is your field

[00:45:36] don't hesitate so many times

[00:45:38] when I sit in the centre lot oh lo Priyanka

[00:45:40] is speaking on cryptocurrency what does she know about it

[00:45:42] probably dude I know more

[00:45:44] because I've read more but you speak

[00:45:46] with that sense of confidence and entitlement

[00:45:48] because you are a male and no one will challenge you

[00:45:50] that's right

[00:45:52] so that is what happens

[00:45:54] but that's how it began

[00:45:56] that way it's doing well

[00:45:58] and we have

[00:46:00] when the first for hot graduated after having work

[00:46:02] they are working in

[00:46:04] one of them was with Swiggy one was with

[00:46:06] Zomato in their policy

[00:46:08] market research etc

[00:46:10] so it's interesting to see where their career trajectory

[00:46:12] has taken them so you are looking

[00:46:14] I mean in the near future

[00:46:16] and the distant future is where you expect

[00:46:18] more participation from women in

[00:46:20] nation building

[00:46:22] it's going to happen anyway if by

[00:46:24] 2029 this bill which is now an act

[00:46:26] comes into

[00:46:28] practice

[00:46:30] I didn't see any act that comes into action much later

[00:46:32] around the world

[00:46:34] so I was thrilled that I was part of the

[00:46:36] history making process right I was there

[00:46:38] when the fight concluded

[00:46:40] for women being in these spaces

[00:46:42] but it's going to be starting from

[00:46:44] 2029 but I believe

[00:46:46] which I have been told that a lot of these

[00:46:48] assembly elections will happen they will start to apply this

[00:46:50] 33% reservation

[00:46:52] yeah I mean by 2526

[00:46:54] they will start to kick in this

[00:46:56] entire thing and then 29 elections

[00:46:58] that's when women parliamentarians will come in

[00:47:00] but the limitation is also one of the issues

[00:47:02] along with the parliamentarian election

[00:47:04] but let's say state assemblies

[00:47:06] we need to have women

[00:47:08] we can't have them falling

[00:47:10] by the wayside seeing your career

[00:47:12] trajectory

[00:47:14] have you ever I know that

[00:47:16] you went to the Rajya Sabha

[00:47:18] what about electoral politics Priyanka

[00:47:20] is that something that tempts you

[00:47:22] maybe later

[00:47:24] many people were telling me that

[00:47:26] I should contest the 2020 election itself

[00:47:28] but I was like

[00:47:30] I can't be sitting in the Rajya Sabha

[00:47:32] and also asking my party to be the look Sabha

[00:47:34] denying someone that space

[00:47:36] but I feel that yes

[00:47:38] many people tell me oh you know

[00:47:40] your true value and connect

[00:47:42] to people only comes to that

[00:47:44] but I think

[00:47:46] as far as Rajya Sabha is also concerned

[00:47:48] many of the houses are concerned

[00:47:50] there could be of course the people's mandate

[00:47:52] and that is a mandate

[00:47:54] where you have to contribute

[00:47:56] in terms of policies

[00:47:58] beyond your political parties

[00:48:00] your policy making

[00:48:02] so your contribution whether you're coming through people's mandate

[00:48:04] or through MLAs who are mandated

[00:48:06] by the people have won that election

[00:48:08] are endorsing you to speak up for their state

[00:48:10] so at times

[00:48:12] it does make me feel that

[00:48:14] if I lose then I will have to challenge

[00:48:16] and I'm like dude at least I've tried

[00:48:18] if it comes my way

[00:48:20] I'll be happy to contest the election

[00:48:22] and shut up all those mouths that keeps saying

[00:48:24] hey sometimes you can take a vote

[00:48:26] the trolling that happened

[00:48:28] why don't you go stand for an election

[00:48:30] you won't even get 5 votes

[00:48:32] deposit her tank

[00:48:34] you know

[00:48:36] sometimes Hawa and I discuss this

[00:48:38] she's contesting

[00:48:40] a battle and she's also seen a lot of trolling

[00:48:42] and whatever nonsense we've seen

[00:48:44] and her getting disqualified

[00:48:46] which is the next thing we want to talk about

[00:48:48] she gets disqualified

[00:48:50] she gets disqualified and you're like

[00:48:52] but she's fighting that fight

[00:48:54] and she's like

[00:48:56] true space is this

[00:48:58] come to the looks now

[00:49:00] sometimes she does get like

[00:49:02] I don't know

[00:49:04] but she has already left

[00:49:06] she has been forced to leave

[00:49:08] she has come back

[00:49:10] and when she will return

[00:49:12] you know how it is

[00:49:14] what was your take on

[00:49:16] the entire Mawa

[00:49:18] episode

[00:49:20] I think a lot of excess was done

[00:49:22] as far as she's concerned

[00:49:24] maybe because she was also

[00:49:26] someone who was very vocally speaking up

[00:49:28] against the government

[00:49:30] so there were of course parliament questions

[00:49:32] let's say for example someone's drafting

[00:49:34] this parliament question and giving them that access

[00:49:36] yes you should be told

[00:49:38] that you can't do that

[00:49:40] disqualifying someone who's come through people's

[00:49:42] that is what people's mandate matters

[00:49:44] right

[00:49:46] she has not been sent by someone's

[00:49:48] because the party wanted to send her

[00:49:50] of course party gave her the ticket

[00:49:52] gave her the symbol

[00:49:54] but she won the vote

[00:49:56] you're deciding as a speaker of the house

[00:49:58] you can't do that

[00:50:00] you can't silence an entire constancy

[00:50:02] whatever her own

[00:50:04] but they gave so many

[00:50:06] earlier instances

[00:50:08] of suspending and all that

[00:50:10] but I think it was

[00:50:12] suspension was not meditated

[00:50:14] for something that she was done

[00:50:16] but you think that at the heart of this matter

[00:50:18] is a dog

[00:50:20] a woman

[00:50:22] can go anywhere for a dog

[00:50:24] I mean ask me like my children tell me

[00:50:26] we have a dog at home and I hate calling him a dog

[00:50:28] dog he's Dio

[00:50:30] he's like my child

[00:50:32] not Dior

[00:50:34] even in that

[00:50:36] he can troll me

[00:50:38] he's Dio

[00:50:40] he's Dio

[00:50:42] how did Dio come?

[00:50:44] that's a very tragic story

[00:50:46] and both of you are the one who heard it

[00:50:48] basically I lost my beagle

[00:50:50] who is just 1 year 3 months old

[00:50:52] I was devastated

[00:50:54] when we were growing up

[00:50:56] 5 of us brothers sister

[00:50:58] my brother was very passionate about having a pet at home

[00:51:00] because of him

[00:51:02] for 4 months

[00:51:04] he didn't know but he asked for a son

[00:51:06] he asked for a Katara

[00:51:08] so everything happened

[00:51:10] so there was a dog we had at mom's place

[00:51:12] but when she died

[00:51:14] I know how devastated I was

[00:51:16] and I knew I can't have my children

[00:51:18] myself go through this in the after sex again

[00:51:20] but Arnav was leaving for America that time

[00:51:22] and both of them got me emotional

[00:51:24] my daughter was emotional

[00:51:26] and they both got together

[00:51:28] ganged up together and said to force mama to

[00:51:30] bring a dog at home

[00:51:32] and what happened was there was a dog

[00:51:34] up for adoption which is a beagle

[00:51:36] so they agreed that

[00:51:38] we will give the beagle

[00:51:40] someone had abandoned the beagle

[00:51:42] so I said let's bring him home

[00:51:44] I would rather have an abandoned dog

[00:51:46] to get a house

[00:51:48] so everything was agreed upon

[00:51:50] my daughter went in and bought stuff

[00:51:52] but suddenly the lady changed her mind

[00:51:54] she said I'll keep the dog

[00:51:56] and I think that triggered it

[00:51:58] and my daughter was howling

[00:52:00] why can't you just get a dog

[00:52:02] and that's how the beagle came into her life

[00:52:04] one year three months

[00:52:06] and she was like our eyes

[00:52:08] totally and suddenly passed away

[00:52:10] just suddenly

[00:52:12] I was again very devastated

[00:52:14] I said there is no more better

[00:52:16] nothing doing

[00:52:18] then my husband surprisingly

[00:52:20] comes up with this total emotional angle

[00:52:22] that you go to Delhi

[00:52:24] son is not there

[00:52:26] go home soon

[00:52:28] so I asked him if he was a baby

[00:52:30] or something

[00:52:32] like your dad is not there

[00:52:36] he said I am funny

[00:52:44] so he said

[00:52:46] no way

[00:52:48] no way, no way, no way, no way

[00:52:50] but then I went to Delhi

[00:52:52] he used to call me everyday very depressed

[00:52:54] that you will come

[00:52:56] so I said listen

[00:52:58] so I actually gave him a surprise

[00:53:00] and the golden retriever

[00:53:02] golden retriever

[00:53:04] he was home but he actually became my son

[00:53:06] easier

[00:53:08] the delivery was easier

[00:53:10] and one day

[00:53:12] I won't need therapy also

[00:53:14] and no postpartum

[00:53:18] dog won't need therapy, no postpartum

[00:53:20] basically resolved a lot of issues

[00:53:22] that's all good

[00:53:24] so anyway

[00:53:26] so yeah Vikram is happy

[00:53:28] the o's become like

[00:53:30] the eyes are totally

[00:53:32] both the children now accuse me of loving him more

[00:53:34] which I fell through

[00:53:36] I told him

[00:53:38] listen dude, he gives me unconditional love

[00:53:40] your love comes with conditions

[00:53:42] so I rather

[00:53:44] him

[00:53:46] so now speaking of

[00:53:48] dogs and mawai

[00:53:50] dogs and

[00:53:52] Rajasthan

[00:53:54] what was your Harry Henry

[00:53:56] Henry, Henry

[00:53:58] very gentle when he named

[00:54:00] because

[00:54:02] he has an instagram account

[00:54:04] sure, I had a very

[00:54:06] lovely picture of me and Henry

[00:54:08] such a good looking dog

[00:54:10] so who is he with now with mawai right

[00:54:12] no, no he's with

[00:54:14] vindictive ex

[00:54:16] I'm not saying anything for that

[00:54:18] mans conned

[00:54:20] so you grew up in Bombay

[00:54:22] and Bombay has given you everything

[00:54:24] but now with the Rajasabha member

[00:54:26] who is in the house

[00:54:28] how has this

[00:54:30] shift from Bombay to Delhi been

[00:54:32] and share with us the good, the bad

[00:54:34] all the aspects on the way in Delhi

[00:54:36] versus Bombay and the funny

[00:54:38] with you the funny is

[00:54:40] given

[00:54:42] so of course as compared to this little house

[00:54:44] that we live in Mumbai

[00:54:46] versus what has been allotted to me

[00:54:48] the Delhi standards are still small

[00:54:50] but my standards

[00:54:52] you know how Mumbai standards are

[00:54:54] there is someone coming in front of me

[00:54:56] and we are happy and I don't stay there

[00:54:58] so I only go when the parliament is in session

[00:55:00] and there is Lodhi garden right across the road

[00:55:02] so those are the classes that I have

[00:55:04] the

[00:55:06] minuses are that

[00:55:08] boss who do you call to this

[00:55:10] home right because everybody

[00:55:12] has larger homes too

[00:55:14] yeah

[00:55:16] actually I know you people

[00:55:18] she says come in the winter

[00:55:20] yeah this way

[00:55:22] the other part of it is

[00:55:24] I feel that the social life depends a lot on

[00:55:26] where you come from

[00:55:28] sure right that you

[00:55:30] right now are in some position of

[00:55:32] I wouldn't say power because we are not in the government

[00:55:34] but it is coming right now

[00:55:36] out of whatever number of MPs we send to the parliament

[00:55:38] you have out in a nation of 1.4 billion

[00:55:40] I am one of those right so

[00:55:42] sometimes the friendships are very superficial

[00:55:44] unconditional and conditional

[00:55:46] and also from where you are coming from

[00:55:48] it took me a lot of time to adjust to

[00:55:50] that system so I remember

[00:55:52] I used to go to the central hall and he used to

[00:55:54] like blah blah blah blah

[00:55:56] and

[00:55:58] I thought

[00:56:00] you know how Mumbai is right you have

[00:56:02] gossiped with both of them and you would have

[00:56:04] forgotten about it and moved on right

[00:56:06] there is nothing like moving on

[00:56:08] it all like

[00:56:10] he said this

[00:56:12] Delhi is circular you know that right

[00:56:14] central hall also was circular

[00:56:16] all the news that you are

[00:56:18] distorted about yourself are coming

[00:56:20] and that is how I learnt it the hard way

[00:56:22] that a lot of people already have decided

[00:56:24] that oh Priyanka is that kind of a person

[00:56:26] and she is this

[00:56:28] she is that and I know a lot of things

[00:56:30] I remember Jaya ji sitting me down

[00:56:32] telling me that you have come here

[00:56:34] to work or you just

[00:56:36] do this

[00:56:38] you know how she is at times

[00:56:40] so I said

[00:56:42] everything gets passed on

[00:56:44] everything

[00:56:46] thanks to the central hall

[00:56:48] the people who are talking to Rajasthi

[00:56:50] reach to the central hall because

[00:56:52] it is circular

[00:56:54] she is a very good mentor

[00:56:56] that way you know she used to

[00:56:58] warn me of some people

[00:57:00] she had already known

[00:57:02] not speaking my mind

[00:57:04] maybe she realized that I am also an outsider

[00:57:06] meaning she has also come into

[00:57:08] that space

[00:57:10] so many times

[00:57:12] I think whoever she takes under her wing

[00:57:14] she feels needs a sense of

[00:57:16] being told what needs to be done

[00:57:18] she does it in a very babar manner

[00:57:20] which is good I like that honestly

[00:57:22] I think because it is a very Mumbai thing

[00:57:24] that you just feel open about

[00:57:26] telling me whatever you feel like

[00:57:28] and then you move on you have corrected your wrong

[00:57:30] and you moved on but it doesn't happen there

[00:57:32] so the relationships are also

[00:57:34] maybe I haven't seen

[00:57:36] lasting relationships

[00:57:38] because I have come from a point where

[00:57:40] of course I was not there when I was struggling

[00:57:42] also in the congress party

[00:57:44] nobody came to be there

[00:57:46] there were no lasting friendships

[00:57:48] but the same attention you get there now

[00:57:50] it changes

[00:57:52] it changes like in Mumbai nobody cares

[00:57:54] even a Shah Rukh Khan

[00:57:56] he is travelling on the same road

[00:57:58] as us but with no airs

[00:58:00] whenever he enters we are not going to go

[00:58:02] like it's okay that there is going to be

[00:58:04] some attraction

[00:58:06] I will go Shah Rukh Khan

[00:58:08] I took a wrong example

[00:58:10] let's say not Shah Rukh Khan

[00:58:12] this is normal see Shah Rukh is your great

[00:58:14] photo of each one now

[00:58:16] move on

[00:58:18] but there is a little bit there

[00:58:20] so have you become more guarded now

[00:58:22] extremely at least there

[00:58:24] but I am in the way I am

[00:58:26] Binda's Ruby Bulya Bulya

[00:58:28] but there is no

[00:58:30] you can't be that way there

[00:58:32] is it more difficult for you because you are alone

[00:58:34] 100%

[00:58:36] and also because you are staying alone

[00:58:38] if I refuse to move and I think it's absolutely right

[00:58:40] on their part they are like

[00:58:42] we will move back against there it's a period of 6 years

[00:58:44] so this hold on a woman living alone

[00:58:46] an empowered woman living alone

[00:58:48] an attractive empowered woman

[00:58:50] living alone

[00:58:52] is a perceived threat to society

[00:58:54] even today

[00:58:56] you have seen how she went through

[00:58:58] the judgement and the things that were spoken about her

[00:59:00] because she is a fighter chick

[00:59:02] and she is fighting through

[00:59:04] exactly all the qualities you are speaking

[00:59:06] about so it does happen

[00:59:08] when they choose to gang up

[00:59:10] they gang up and brutally so

[00:59:12] so you are I

[00:59:14] I learn to be a lot more careful about

[00:59:16] regarded about my thoughts about what I think

[00:59:18] and what I think about other people

[00:59:20] and earlier you used to in good faith

[00:59:22] chat about this happened

[00:59:24] I stopped doing that

[00:59:26] so image how important is it

[00:59:28] for women politicians

[00:59:30] to maintain a certain image

[00:59:32] for example I know of some

[00:59:34] I know somebody who is a politician

[00:59:36] she can't go clubbing

[00:59:38] dancing even with her husband

[00:59:40] and a family in India she does that

[00:59:42] when there are no cameras in some foreign

[00:59:44] destination and she can get her hair down

[00:59:46] she is always in Indian clothes here

[00:59:48] I mean see it happens in a lot of professions

[00:59:50] okay to be taken seriously

[00:59:52] you have to conform to a certain image

[00:59:54] is that a struggle? No

[00:59:56] I think this is

[00:59:58] look at my Instagram account

[01:00:00] wherever I am going out for dinner my photos out there

[01:00:02] I have never partied outside of my nation

[01:00:04] would you go clubbing

[01:00:06] maybe because I am not a clubbing person

[01:00:08] but yes I wouldn't hesitate

[01:00:10] if some of my friends want to go clubbing

[01:00:12] and be happy to go clubbing

[01:00:14] absolutely no I don't think

[01:00:16] this entire idea of politicians

[01:00:18] having to live a certain standard

[01:00:20] boring life I think that

[01:00:22] thing has to change

[01:00:24] the narrative has to change

[01:00:26] there is hypocrisy in that

[01:00:28] and obviously every member

[01:00:30] there are a lot of young members of parliament right

[01:00:33] they also we hang out together

[01:00:36] I think that is a very big difference today

[01:00:38] that's a big change today

[01:00:40] versus say 20-30 years ago there are too many

[01:00:42] young participants in this game now

[01:00:44] and also yes

[01:00:46] young participants and young participants

[01:00:48] want to see one of their own

[01:00:50] don't be judgmental about us

[01:00:52] don't be judgmental about a lingual language

[01:00:54] or Gen Z language etc.

[01:00:56] and you all hang out together huh?

[01:00:58] I have no hesitation

[01:01:00] in sharing that part of my life also

[01:01:02] simply because I think women

[01:01:04] who create these barriers should end it

[01:01:06] simply because it's doing huge injustice

[01:01:08] to other women who want to live a life

[01:01:10] which is you know

[01:01:12] open for all to see

[01:01:14] my life yeah my rules what I feel like doing

[01:01:16] but do you have the confidence to do that Priyanka

[01:01:18] a lot of women who come in might not have that

[01:01:20] confidence and we feel

[01:01:22] that they have to conform in a certain way

[01:01:24] that is what I am saying that those barriers

[01:01:26] need to be broken because the barriers are only in their mind

[01:01:28] because

[01:01:30] the country obviously if you're coming from a town

[01:01:32] or constituency which is

[01:01:34] obviously conservative

[01:01:36] then you obviously make those choices

[01:01:38] but otherwise

[01:01:40] I come of course I come from Mumbai

[01:01:42] I can totally understand what you are

[01:01:44] where you are coming from but

[01:01:46] I am sure I know the example you are quoting

[01:01:48] is a person from an urban

[01:01:50] center right? sure yes

[01:01:52] because

[01:01:54] they are the ones who will probably have more responsibility

[01:01:56] to break those

[01:01:58] sentiments of you know

[01:02:00] this is how we must conform to the idea of politics

[01:02:02] exercise is so much caution here

[01:02:04] it's almost like you're a politician

[01:02:06] you can't be seen having a good time

[01:02:08] no I am you know in the most innocent manner possible

[01:02:10] let's say we don't have a beer bottle

[01:02:12] two hours out or whatever

[01:02:14] good time that we choose to have

[01:02:16] I think you are

[01:02:18] sending a very wrong message out too

[01:02:20] that you should work

[01:02:22] for a donkey

[01:02:24] you should work for a donkey

[01:02:26] don't let Mr. Narayan Murthy listen to this

[01:02:28] no I mean

[01:02:30] I respect you Mr. Narayan Murthy

[01:02:32] but no it doesn't work like that

[01:02:34] it's a very successful company

[01:02:36] did it as per what he believed

[01:02:38] for the work ethics but doesn't apply to all

[01:02:40] so you know we have talked about challenges

[01:02:42] of being a career politician

[01:02:44] there must be some perks of the job also

[01:02:46] yes there are perks

[01:02:48] like yes people receiving you at the airport

[01:02:50] so that is why you are a parliamentarian

[01:02:52] you can choose to

[01:02:54] if you don't want to you can also not inform them

[01:02:56] about your travel

[01:02:58] but most of the time I do because

[01:03:00] I think that's the only ethical thing to do

[01:03:02] that you tell me what you are coming

[01:03:04] and you are going to travel

[01:03:06] so this is the house

[01:03:08] like I said

[01:03:10] from Mumbai's house

[01:03:12] it is good space to be in

[01:03:14] the second thing is

[01:03:16] of course you get a salary

[01:03:18] as a member of parliament

[01:03:20] two people grudge that salary

[01:03:22] because there are adjournments

[01:03:24] but besides these adjournments

[01:03:26] there are many other things that we continue to do

[01:03:28] I also talk a lot about

[01:03:30] why salary raise is needed

[01:03:32] but they understand that

[01:03:34] there are standing committee meetings

[01:03:36] one assistant is given

[01:03:38] I wish their salaries increased

[01:03:40] definitely because it's very difficult

[01:03:42] the times you live in

[01:03:44] to live at the expense of

[01:03:46] the government

[01:03:48] the protocol is

[01:03:50] when you are going to a particular destination

[01:03:52] there will be someone to pick you up

[01:03:54] from the airport authority as well

[01:03:56] and you don't have to go through the baggage

[01:03:58] screening and security screening

[01:04:00] no we have to

[01:04:02] yes we don't

[01:04:04] but it's that

[01:04:06] you will get an assistant

[01:04:08] so many times you tell me

[01:04:10] ma'am you are breaking the line

[01:04:12] I don't want to break the line

[01:04:14] I am breaking the line

[01:04:16] she is talking big

[01:04:18] so I don't do that at all

[01:04:20] and many parliamentarians

[01:04:22] don't even take that

[01:04:24] so even when you return to the country

[01:04:26] from somewhere you don't get a diplomatic pass

[01:04:28] you have that

[01:04:30] because I have a diplomatic passport

[01:04:32] again that's my choice

[01:04:34] unfortunately my old passport

[01:04:36] didn't renew because I had this diplomatic passport

[01:04:38] but unfortunately it happens

[01:04:40] every time I have to travel

[01:04:42] I will now have to inform

[01:04:44] keep the protocol in place

[01:04:46] that finance ministry is informed

[01:04:48] for the PEMA guidelines or whatever

[01:04:50] and I think it's a process

[01:04:52] which in the larger

[01:04:54] idea of transparency

[01:04:56] it's a good thing

[01:04:58] so if I am inviting someone

[01:05:00] okay one thing I want to clear now

[01:05:02] that you ask me about diplomatic passport

[01:05:04] I go anywhere

[01:05:06] I don't get any money from that country

[01:05:08] my taxpaying people don't give me money

[01:05:10] I am sure

[01:05:12] no no I get a troll

[01:05:14] she is going on a Germany

[01:05:16] on our taxpaying money

[01:05:18] and I won't go

[01:05:20] and the taxpaying people don't waste money

[01:05:22] I am very conscious of that

[01:05:24] so I get invited

[01:05:26] and when you are invited

[01:05:28] they take care of your stay

[01:05:30] and again the second part

[01:05:32] then see

[01:05:34] the other people's money

[01:05:36] next trolling will be

[01:05:38] I go out

[01:05:40] so there is a process

[01:05:42] if you are using a diplomatic passport

[01:05:44] I am very conscious of the fact that I am using this

[01:05:46] so yes it's a separate line

[01:05:48] because I have completed the process

[01:05:50] I have often looked at that line with envy

[01:05:52] I am ten times more

[01:05:54] nothing is going to be a long line

[01:05:56] everybody is going through that

[01:05:58] everyone is a diplomat

[01:06:00] no no everybody also has contacts

[01:06:02] a diplomat

[01:06:04] but I was very impressed

[01:06:06] and Priyanka comes in with a car

[01:06:08] and a personal security guard

[01:06:10] and we were going about town with that

[01:06:12] I told my husband

[01:06:14] this is the first time in my life I felt so important

[01:06:16] no no

[01:06:18] you get one

[01:06:20] because you are a member of parliament

[01:06:22] you get one PSO from where you are coming

[01:06:24] from the state you are coming from

[01:06:26] that you get

[01:06:28] and Delhi may if they feel they see the risk

[01:06:30] evaluation or whatever

[01:06:32] but I don't have any

[01:06:34] I said I don't need anybody here

[01:06:36] but I was given one person who was allotted

[01:06:38] but that also has been withdrawn now

[01:06:40] our commiserations

[01:06:42] what a tragedy

[01:06:44] I mean, what commiserations it's a relief

[01:06:46] because they register everything

[01:06:48] that you are doing

[01:06:50] right? who is coming? who is going? where are you going?

[01:06:52] are you sitting with them?

[01:06:54] so that's also information gathering

[01:06:56] glass bowl

[01:06:58] it's information gathering

[01:07:00] so I am a very private

[01:07:02] I am Mumbai where everybody is

[01:07:04] they care as much as the right to privacy

[01:07:06] even if you take over the ownership

[01:07:08] you have no choice

[01:07:10] you live in little tiny houses

[01:07:12] exactly

[01:07:14] so whatever little bit of sham of privacy we have

[01:07:16] we guard it with all our lives

[01:07:18] so in that way

[01:07:20] it's a relief there's nobody

[01:07:22] monitoring you all the time

[01:07:24] so that is one thing that you get

[01:07:26] not that very good

[01:07:28] when Kiran and I

[01:07:30] visit you

[01:07:32] we will see your life in Delhi

[01:07:34] you will definitely go to Khan market

[01:07:36] I want to make you a Khan market gang

[01:07:38] and Khan market is a 2 minute long gap

[01:07:40] Khan market gang

[01:07:42] you have to make it

[01:07:44] like your trolling

[01:07:46] now we are going to become gang members

[01:07:48] I know all the elite people hang out in Chhatarpur

[01:07:50] it should be called Chhatarpur Gang

[01:07:52] really? I have never done Chhatarpur

[01:07:54] what are you saying Priyanka?

[01:07:56] I am only a Khan market gang

[01:07:58] because I am a Khan market gang

[01:08:00] I want to be a gang member

[01:08:02] I think my last question

[01:08:04] Khan market is a Khanna market

[01:08:06] Khanna market is like my ration ration

[01:08:08] Khanna market is just like

[01:08:10] so we are not supposed to be Khanna market gang

[01:08:12] no you all will go to the khana market

[01:08:14] so first you get the label right

[01:08:16] you earn that label

[01:08:18] what do you do for your sanity

[01:08:20] it's a high pressure job

[01:08:22] we live in a glass bowl

[01:08:24] and life in itself has its own

[01:08:26] what do you do have a practice to keep yourself sane?

[01:08:28] not really

[01:08:30] I think I am part of that

[01:08:32] I would say

[01:08:34] insanity that prevails in this nation

[01:08:36] and I am a proud part of it

[01:08:38] simply because

[01:08:40] I would say a lot of chatter comes from political spaces

[01:08:42] and if you want to be in this space

[01:08:44] you better be part of the system

[01:08:46] so there is no time actually

[01:08:48] nothing

[01:08:50] I think she thrives on the energy

[01:08:52] I think yeah sometimes it drives you also

[01:08:54] it does

[01:08:56] sometimes I get a tweet

[01:08:58] and I am like

[01:09:00] what happened

[01:09:02] there is no one

[01:09:04] you are wrong

[01:09:06] you are wrong

[01:09:08] that's so funny

[01:09:10] so sometimes

[01:09:12] it's like that

[01:09:14] sometimes I have said something on TV

[01:09:16] and it hasn't created a buzz

[01:09:18] people started answering me

[01:09:20] who are you

[01:09:22] you have changed the party

[01:09:24] you have changed the party for a whole night

[01:09:26] you know those kinds of things

[01:09:28] you have finished the party

[01:09:30] so many things are hurt

[01:09:32] if there is no reaction I am like

[01:09:34] I wasn't up to the mark

[01:09:36] that's your end result

[01:09:38] in the beginning the words must have hurt you

[01:09:40] did you develop thick skin then?

[01:09:42] yeah it was

[01:09:44] takes a lot

[01:09:46] I used to cry at nights and my husband would be like

[01:09:48] you choose

[01:09:50] dude at least you can be sensitive

[01:09:52] the whole world

[01:09:54] you are the same

[01:09:56] but our husbands ever sensitive

[01:09:58] you expect too much

[01:10:00] I told you so

[01:10:02] you have chosen this world

[01:10:04] what happened was

[01:10:06] once I became a spokesperson

[01:10:08] there was immense curiosity

[01:10:10] because suddenly out of the blue some Priyanka Chaturvedi

[01:10:12] has been made up media panellists congress

[01:10:14] never happened by the way

[01:10:16] that some district secretary

[01:10:18] there was immense curiosity

[01:10:20] they didn't even have my phone number

[01:10:22] all India congress committee

[01:10:24] appointment was done and they didn't have my phone number

[01:10:26] I would have found his phone number

[01:10:28] this is how they function in the party

[01:10:30] no no no it was very telling

[01:10:32] it was something which came

[01:10:34] because at that time there was a protest

[01:10:36] on that time

[01:10:38] there was a movement of the Annahazari

[01:10:40] at the time of the UPK

[01:10:42] nobody wanted to go

[01:10:44] so they were looking for new faces

[01:10:46] they didn't have my number

[01:10:48] and suddenly there was immense curiosity

[01:10:50] and my Instagram was pretty open to all

[01:10:52] suddenly I see my universal studios

[01:10:54] went to Singapore with Vikram Keshav

[01:10:56] shot spinning

[01:10:58] suddenly that video

[01:11:00] that image goes on twitter

[01:11:02] some shit and then I say

[01:11:04] hello my private life up there my husband

[01:11:06] I was making photo with children

[01:11:08] so those were things

[01:11:10] that we adjusted to

[01:11:12] so this happens

[01:11:14] just that

[01:11:16] now it's powerful of course for you

[01:11:18] I am happy with the insanity that prevails

[01:11:22] if there is a sanity in this country

[01:11:24] then the

[01:11:26] the fun of living in this country

[01:11:28] the fun of living in this country

[01:11:30] it ends

[01:11:32] it's just a buzz that keeps this country going

[01:11:34] from all parts of the world

[01:11:36] insanity

[01:11:38] we are at a little nannish

[01:11:40] I would say insanity in the sense

[01:11:42] it doesn't create

[01:11:44] lead to violence, hate

[01:11:46] and the kind of narrative we are seeing

[01:11:48] just go towards

[01:11:50] it's buzzing all the time from every part of the

[01:11:52] any state in the country

[01:11:54] it's coming up with some news

[01:11:56] it's almost hard to keep up with that

[01:11:58] sometimes there is

[01:12:00] some issue that has happened

[01:12:02] and I have not commented on it

[01:12:04] and then we say

[01:12:06] oh look he didn't go to this day because

[01:12:08] his party alliance members are not speaking

[01:12:10] he didn't smile

[01:12:12] if you decide to have a quick politics

[01:12:14] you can do political comedy

[01:12:16] I am excellent actually

[01:12:18] please make me third member of the podcast

[01:12:20] dad team

[01:12:22] and then we will make fun of the audience

[01:12:24] but first we have to visit the latin bungalow

[01:12:26] please come

[01:12:28] please shoot a podcast there

[01:12:30] you pray that you are safe

[01:12:32] please do it

[01:12:34] so that we can do it

[01:12:36] please please

[01:12:38] oh this has been a boot

[01:12:40] thank you so much

[01:12:42] thank you so much for having me