#TheSuperMoms Tanusree Shankar: I never taught Sreenanda anything in particular, she was always matured enough – Times of India

A mother knows best! There are so many celebrities who are proud to be doting moms to their adorable little ones. While balancing careers in showbiz, these ladies are raising or have raised their children striking the right balance between work and personal life and making it look all too easy. ETimes, now, brings you a new series #TheSuperMoms raising a toast to all those celebrity moms out there.

In this week’s brand new episode ETimes speaks to the classical dance icon and actress Tanusree Shankar as the 67-year-old Tollywood celeb shares how exciting, life-changing and, at times, tumultuous adventure her motherhood has been in all these years.

How has motherhood shaped you in life?

I always loved being a doting mother. Yes, there was sleep deprivation, messy body fluids, the occasional tantrums, the difficult and tensed choices – but I have always treasured these precious moments and unquestioning trust and unconditional love I received from my daughter. It’s something that I take immense pride in. It’s a defining aspect of my own identity. When Ananda Shankar (husband) passed away, parenting wasn’t just hard but it sometimes felt impossible. However, I and my daughter managed to stick together and see how we have sailed through. We are best friends. I often share moments from my daughter’s childhood on social media and it gives me immense pleasure as I go down memory lane and see Mishtu enjoying her life to the fullest now.

How difficult was it to go for tours leaving Sreenanda at home?


I had a really complicated pregnancy and my first tour after giving birth to her was when Mishtu (Sreenanda Shankar) was only three. But in most cases, Ananda and I would take her along. Ananda often joked about it and he used to say our daughter will be strong in geography.

What’s the best thing you see now in your daughter?

Sreenanda started developing a unique cosmopolitan outlook from a very tender age. Ananda’s (Ananda Shankar) untimely death had taken both me and Mistu along a hairpin bend in our daily lives. I still remember she was just 18, and you know it’s indeed a vulnerable age, and she dreamed of becoming an actor. And I feel lucky now that back then actor-politician Sunil Dutt helped us and even our friend, Naren Shetty (Shilpa Shetty’s uncle) also supported us. And with their help, she finally found her place in Mumbai in a little room as a paying guest. She then enrolled in the famous Roshan Taneja’s acting school. I used to miss her a lot but at the same time, I wanted to see her becoming an independent woman.

Did your disciplined life influence Sreenanda a lot?

After Roshan Taneja’s academy, she managed to do an acting workshop at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York through an education loan and it was a big achievement. I was immensely proud of her because from all these struggles she learned to work harder and cement a place on her own. From her early age, Mishtu knew how to manage budgets. Life had taught us a lot. Frankly speaking, I didn’t have to teach her anything specific, but I think a child learns from what she sees at home. She used to see me working hard to maintain a balance between my dance career and personal life. And now, I feel so proud to see the achievements she has managed in all these years.