Photograph: Kind courtesy Sonnalli Seygall/Instagram

After portraying a variety of roles on screen, Sonnalli Seygall is probably her favourite one — that of a mother in real life.

The actor, known for Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Jai Mummy Di, had a baby in November. Since then, she’s taken a brief pause in her career.

“Right now, my focus is so much on my daughter that no other thought is crossing my mind. There is no space for things like, ‘Oh, I miss my sleep’ or ‘I miss going out for coffee’. I don’t miss these things. What I have in hand is far too precious,” the actor tells Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com.

Still, Sonnalli is anticipating the release of her streaming debut with a short film titled Zindagi Milegi Dobara.

Directed by Aarrav Jindal, the film sheds light on our digital addiction and how it affects human connections.

Sonnali calls the film “relevant” and “so relatable” for today’s day and age, and shares that she once found herself addicted to her phone until reality struck.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Sonnalli Seygall/Instagram

“During COVID, we were all so dependent on our gadgets, whether it was playing games or Ludo or being in touch with our friends. We go into Instagram to probably post a story or to check our DM or something. And then we go on the page and then we’re scrolling and scrolling and scrolling. Then we realise half an hour has gone by! We get into this habit and don’t realise,” she says.

“It hit me that there has to be a better use of technology. So I started setting a time for me. It’s very difficult to survive without technology and social media but you have to find the balance. I started setting some rules: I will not look at the phone for one hour after I wake up, and before I go to sleep. That really helped me limiting my screen time. I have consciously stopped doing mindless scrolling.”

But is it difficult to keep away from phone, especially for a celebrity? Sonnali says she does not use social media for networking but there are different ways one can use it for their benefit.

“It (social media) can definitely help me in my work,” she says.

“It gives us a platform to voice what we believe in. It can also get work for us, right? We have so many brand endorsements and deals. In that sense, it’s relevant for us, not so much for networking,” the actor says.

IMAGE: Sonnalli and husband Ashesh Sajnani. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sonnalli Seygall/Instagram

Sonnali married long-time beau Ashesh Sajnani last year and since, has been quite choosy about her work.

The actor, however, firmly believes that the judgement against married actresses is a thing of the past and there’s work for everybody.

“We have too many examples in front of us who are married and working and have kids and are balancing beautifully. Women have never been so forthright about what they want.”

She cites examples of Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, whom she considers her inspirations.

“I’ve always admired Vidya Balan a lot. I really like her. I really love Priyanka’s work and how she conducts herself. Now Priyanka is a mother as well and I like the balance that she strikes with her daughter and work and I know it can’t be easy but she does it wonderfully so,” she says.

Amidst her newfound role and duty as mother, does Sonnalii miss being on sets?

“I’m happy doing this. This is as much work. I’m not able to take up any work for a few months at least. I’ve not put a timeline to it. The luxury of our profession is that we can decide on our term of the maternity leave. Like all mothers deserve it.”