Juggan, the firebrand we all love is commended for slamming a wide range of roles in dramas and telefilms like “Man O Salwa”, “Sitam”, “Saiqa”, “Kash Aisa Ho” and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Apart from being a top celebrity, Juggan is a mother of a lovable nine year old boy Hamza.
This mother of one has been seen doing music videos for popular bands like JAL, Mekaal Hasan Band and Shahzad Roy. She was nominated in 2008 as the MTV model of the year and has been functioning as an on-screen actress ever since. She has hosted popular shows like Fashion Stop, Sunday Brunch, Morning with Hum and many more
Juggan faced a huge battle in her initial marriage years. She loved acting since childhood and had effectively begun off with her profession in Canada. Nonetheless, as indicated by Juggan, her starting marriage years were tormenting as her Husband, Ahmed Tajik, frequently abused her, beating her every now and then.
Frustration is all what she had around her. Juggan soon conceived but was not happy. She was rather concerned for her child’s future. Juggan soon realized it was time to take a stand.
She stood up for her rights as a strong woman with firm roots to battle back for her child and her own career. Soon she took separation from her husband to make sure she was not bringing a child into the chaos and anxiety that prevailed in her life.
What is it like being a mother? How has presence of child changed your life?
It is like being a human. We all have different roles in life as we grow up. Females end up being mothers, sisters and wives. These are all natural roles and obviously they do affect our life. The presence of Hamza has changed my life drastically. It is much more beautiful than I could imagine. I did go through a roller coaster when it’s about hardships but things changed well for me. Generally it is easier to handle a baby and focus on his/her brought up in Pakistan.
Usually celebrities are not very open about their kids to the media. You were and are pretty open and confident about the fact of being Hamza’s mother, what is your perspective regarding this?
We have a common perception in Pakistan that if someone gets to know you are a mother your market value goes down. You are no more considered attractive and are not wanted. I personally feel does having a kid judge your value and your talent? If so I am sad and disappointed, also worried about the future of this industry if this is how the minds here run. I am a proud mother and feel very comfortable with Hamza. Being a mother is a great feeling but obviously it’s also not an easy job. It is like a 24/7 job, you have to give your kid time and be a role model for him/her.
Do you remember the time when you conceived? How was the feeling?
I’ll give you reality for this one, it is rare but I was petrified. I was extremely scared as I was already in a very abusive marriage. I was traumatized and kept thinking about the future of the infant in my womb. I used to think if this is what is happening to me what would be his future. There was no joy in fact all what I felt at that stage was complete blinding fear. I used to face physical attacks and was thrashed daily. I stood up well and proved myself as a brave lady but this is what the reality was.
You were expecting Hamza, how was life back in those years?
I was working till the last night. Frequent pains and work, had to bear both. I had a 9 to 5 job to look after too, was not easy at all but then again Hamza was and is the biggest gift of Allah to me.
Your life with Hamza today, how would you describe it?
My life changed completely after I stood up for myself and took separation. I today have no fear of being a divorce. I am today pretty much happy and confident about my life and decisions. Before my marriage I was exactly the way I am today, happy and fun loving. The happiness got curbed behind issues but didn’t disappear. It came back and I am happy now, Hamza brought my happiness back.
Children go through different stages as they develop and grow. Which has been the most challenging stage so far?
When Hamza was between the ages 3 to 5 it was the most challenging time for me. When he was 2 years old it was easy for me, I could pick him and travel and do anything I wanted to but as he stepped in his 3rd year of life he started going to Pre School and at this time I was also doing a morning show. I was getting opportunities to work nationwide but I opted for the morning show for a reason. The reason was Hamza, I wanted to stay in the same city as Hamza and give him the time he deserved for his grooming. It was very important that I interact with him as interaction is very important for a child to help him learn manners and ethics. I never wanted to leave my kid with maids; I wanted to be examples for him myself. Keeping all this on a side I will still say that many people helped in Hamza’s upbringing specially my family. I always believed that you have to live in front of your kid and act in a way you want your kid to act in future, schools and tuitions can’t teach him manners and the way of living, these things cannot be found in books.
Many parents teach their kids at home instead of sending them for tuitions and coaching centers, are you one of them?
Ha-ha, no. I do not teach him and I don’t plan to teach him. I have temper issues and I want Hamza to stay away from such issues of mine. I would never want to raise my hand on my kid as I think raising hand is very wrong and that why I try not teaching him, I’m a bad teacher as I tend to get angry in no time. Kids (bache) need to be taught in a certain way, we at home get angry if we see the kid is not being able to perform well and then we might hit the kid which leaves a very negative psychological impact on the kid’s life.
What is the greatest joy of being a mom? How do you feel being a celebrity mom?
Obviously it is a very different feel, there is no one moment specifically that can be shared and cherished when it’s about Hamza. Every little moment with him ends up being the greatest joy of my life. The first time he held my hand, the first time he said “mama” all these are unforgettable moments and changed my life completely.
How did you adjust to your post-baby body? Do you work out regularly?
It took me 5 years to lose weight. Hamza was 2 months old when I picked him up and came to Lahore. I had to look after him all alone which was tough. I had too much weight at that time. People said “eat well you won’t be able to feed the child and all” so I went pretty careless in my diet and ended up gaining allot. Soon I saw everything fading in front of me as weight matters in the industry I am working in and so I went into depression. Then came a time when I stopped caring about my weight and all and became a food lover. I hated the way I looked, my weight once was 48kgs and it went 62kgs but thank god now I am 45kgs. I’m 5. 4 and then the weight I had made me look like a junkie, but now all is well under control.
What is your regular diet?
I do not have a specific diet like most of the models would do. I just know how to adjust your food and eat healthy instead of junk food. I love food otherwise, Sunday morning nihari is a must, I love that.
Children today love eating junk food, how do you make Hamza understand the importance of healthy food?
Hamza has always been skinfinty but at one point he started putting on weight. My Chachi, who we both were very close to, developed cancer and passed away when Hamza was around 5 years old. Chachi used to spend a lot of time with Hamza and monitored his eating habits but after she passed away Hamza started eating a lot. He started eating a lot of junk food and gaining but now he is sensible enough to understand the consequences and so eats less junk as compared to his junk consumption earlier. I do not majorly put any restrictions on food or health, he got these bad eating habits from me, and I was exactly the same back in the years. Fried nuggets and all were my love.
What is one memory of Hamza’s infancy that you’ll never forget?
They are so many, can’t give you one. He was 2 or 3 years old when I was at work. He was playing cricket and he fell down splitting his knee cap, it got slicked open. Thank god he didn’t get a fracture but when I was told about it I was busy at work. I rushed back home taking him to the hospital, it was just me and my Chachi who went through all this. Hamza was given the oxygen mask and had to get stitches. Uff! I had to put the mask on his face and I cried all this time. I prayed and cried and that all what a mother would do. A terrible memory it was. I was getting flashbacks of him holding my finger for the first time, he kept stoking my hair kept pulling my hair and all the beautiful memories and was praying for him to get perfectly fine as soon as possible.
What is your biggest wish for him?
My biggest wish for him is to be a good human being. If you are a good person things work out for you automatically. People want their kids to be rich; I want Hamza to be a good person, to respect people and to care about people. If he grows up to be an unselfish good person he will be successful Inshallah automatically. Talking about his future as in his career, that freedom is with him as it is going to b his life and his decision. No imposing decisions.
Is he compatible? Easy to go with child?
One of the easiest kids on planet earth I would say. He goes on set with me and he is pretty much trained. He chats and chats but as soon as the director says “cue” he automatically gets quiet amazing all of us. He is a happy go lucky kid and without doubt very compatible.
Do you believe in leaving the kid with maids to look after or do you think parent’s presence is vital?
It totally depends, there are people like Nadeem bhai, he has been with me since 8 years now, and he was a little kid when he worked for my father. In a way Nadeem bhai raised Hamza with me, he is Hamza’s Mamu, not a driver. I do not leave my kid with strangers, people who I have around me and Hamza are trustworthy and have been working for us since years now. Sidrah, our maid has been with us since years now, they are all nice people.
A message for all your fans and other celebrity mom’s to be?
My message is that being married and having a kid is wonderful, it is a beautiful feeling. People keep pushing it off that if they have kids and are married they won’t be able to push their life ahead. If u has the right kind of life partner like I do now, Faisal, you can do everything happily. Many people do not want to have kids feeling that their market value would go down, I believe it very wrong to even think that way. Have a child, they bring in blessings and open new doors. As time progresses your life goes through different phases, from a girl to a woman, do not miss these moments, let the blessings come in. Also, age matters a lot, have a baby at the right time to enjoy life with the kid and have a happy family life like I do now. “Career anay janay wali cheez hai, family your own family is something that stays forever”. Do the right thing at the right time, hangout with your kids, play with them, embrace your family, do not don’t run away from it.