From Jaya Bachchan to Kareena Kapoor: Actors who shot films during pregnancy

Sholay is a memorable film for the Bachchan clan for many reasons. Apart from being one of the biggest hits of the Amitabh's career, it was also the first appearance, invisible albeit, of their child on screen. The lady boss of the Bachchan clan, Jaya Bachchan, was pregnant with her first child, Shweta, during the filming of Ramesh Sippy's classic western. "In some shots you can actually see her working during the pregnancy," Bachchan would say. The professionalism runs through the family, we say. 

Coming from a pedigree of fine female actors, Kajol knows what it takes to be a working mom. Having been a wonderful mom to Nyssa, Kajol was pregnant with her son, Yug, during the filming of We Are Family (2010) and Toonpur Ka Superhero (2010). The actor went on to complete the films, but took time off from post-production and promotional activities. For now, the talented actor seems to be balancing her career and motherhood to two lovely kids with elan. 

The talented actor was working before and after the birth of her first son, Haroon. Konkona finished filming for her films, Mirch (2010) and Right Yaa Wrong (2010), before taking time off for the delivery. The birth of her first child did not slow down her acting career in any way. She went on to do a photo shoot, and also made an almost immediate return in Vishal Bhardwaj's 7 Khoon Maaf (2011).

Displaying a Smita Patil-esque presence in her films, Nandita Das has established herself in the domain of courageous, true cinema. It is no surprise that the actor was a true professional and finished shooting for Onir's I Am (2011). The actor, like Kareena, shot for the film in the fifth month of her pregnancy. 

She might be known for her joie de vivre, but Juhi Chawla is one tough mummy. The actor, married to businessman Jay Mehta, was expecting her first child, Jhanvi, while working on Ek Rishtaa (2001), and Amdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya (2001) with Govinda. She did it again when she played Sanjay Suri's pregnant wife in Sujoy Ghosh's Jhankaar Beats (2003). The second time, she was 7 months into labour with her son, Arjun. 
 

Another one of the Bachchan clan to film during pregnancy was Aishwarya Rai. The actor was reportedly pregnant while filming for Mani Ratnam's Guru (2007) alongside husband, Abhishek Bachchan. It was Amitabh who let the baby out of the basket, tweeting about the news, just as the filming and post production for Mani Ratnam's film had ended. The worst hit was Madhur Bhandarkar, whose film Heroine was supposed to be filmed with Aishwarya in the lead. In the end the film was completed, but with Kareena Kapoor Khan.