As Drishyam: The Conclusion continues its run in theatres, actor Ishita Dutta has opened up about a more personal part of her life: motherhood. The actor, who reprises her role as Anju Salgaonkar in the third and final chapter of the Drishyam franchise, recently appeared on Zahra Jani’s podcast and spoke about raising her children and the advice she received from Kajol. Ishita, who is married to actor Vatsal Sheth, is a mother to Vayu and Veda. During the conversation, she recalled a particularly difficult phase when her son Vayu was a baby and suffered from severe colic. Unsure of what to do, she turned to Kajol, who has years of experience as a mother to Nysa and Yug. The advice was simple, but Ishita said it worked for her son.
When Ishita turned to Kajol for help
5 Oct 2026 | 12:06
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Talking about Vayu’s early days, Ishita recalled how difficult his colic had become. “It was really bad, and I was like, ‘What do I do?’ I happened to discuss that with Kajol. She was like, ‘Wait, wait, I know.'” Kajol then suggested that Ishita place the baby in a pram and take him outside over a rocky surface. According to Ishita, the movement created by the uneven surface helped soothe Vayu. “I did that, and it actually worked,” she said. For a new parent dealing with a constantly crying baby, finding something that provides even a little relief can make a significant difference. Ishita said Kajol has helped her with several such situations over the years. While she could not remember all the small pieces of advice she had received, she said Kajol’s guidance had consistently been useful.Ishita also spoke warmly about Kajol’s relationship with her children. “And otherwise, she loves Vayu and Veda, and I think she is really good with kids,” she said. The two actors are connected through the Drishyam franchise, with Kajol’s husband Ajay Devgn playing Vijay Salgaonkar in the series. Ishita plays Anju, Vijay’s elder daughter. Drishyam: The Conclusion, directed by Abhishek Pathak, released in theatres on October 2, 2026, and marks the final chapter of the Hindi trilogy. Ishita is part of the returning cast alongside Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Shriya Saran.
Kajol says listening changed her bond with Nysa
Ishita’s comments about Kajol’s parenting come months after Kajol herself spoke openly about her relationship with her daughter Nysa Devgan. In a conversation with Lilly Singh, Kajol described the difficult period she and Nysa went through when her daughter was around 12. She said the relationship was not always easy and that both mother and daughter struggled to understand each other. “It’s a relationship that we had to build,” Kajol said, explaining that hormones and adolescence brought frequent disagreements. “We were fighting, and we were both irrational at times. We were both illogical at times.”Kajol said she eventually realised that constantly arguing was not helping their relationship. Instead, she decided to change her approach and focus more on communication. “I decided that no, I am not going to fight with her that much. I am going to try to talk to her as much as I can and work with her,” she said. The actor recalled that the difficult phase lasted for nearly three years. During that period, both of them sometimes refused to listen to or speak with each other. “We both struggled for nearly three years. Both of us were like, ‘I don’t want to listen to you. I don’t want to talk to you,'” Kajol said.
From arguments to conversations
According to Kajol, their relationship gradually improved when their interactions became longer conversations rather than arguments. She began spending more time listening to her daughter instead of immediately trying to correct or advise her. “But eventually, they became conversations, long conversations. It became more about me sitting down and listening to her,” she said. Kajol eventually realised that listening and giving Nysa space made the biggest difference in their relationship. Her experience reflects a part of parenting that can be difficult to practise: knowing when to guide a child and when simply to listen.For Ishita, Kajol’s support has been useful in a different stage of motherhood. While the advice about helping Vayu through colic was a practical suggestion that Ishita said worked for her, Kajol’s own experience shows another side of parenting: relationships with children can change over time and often require patience, communication and flexibility. Together, the two stories offer a glimpse into the everyday realities of parenting, from dealing with a crying baby to navigating the complicated teenage years. For Ishita, having an experienced mother like Kajol to turn to has provided another source of reassurance as she raises Vayu and Veda.
