Television host-actor Mini Mathur has revealed how one incident changed her perspective on the entertainment industry’s approach to working mothers. Despite being long associated with TV’s flagship singing reality show Indian Idol, she lost out on hosting its fifth season after she told the makers that she was expecting her second child, Sairah. The recent winner of Alliance on Amazon Prime Video, Mini disclosed how her personal choices impacted her professional life. Mini is married to filmmaker Kabir Khan of Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, 83, and Chand Champion fame, and the couple has been together for 28 years.
In an interview with Hauterrfly on their latest episode on The Male Feminist, Mini remembered being told that Indian audiences would not accept a pregnant woman as host of a major reality show. The move made her feel “very let down” and ultimately played a role in her decision to turn down an offer to return for the show’s Season 5.
Mini Mathur hosted Indian Idol with Hussain Kuwajerwala
Mini Mathur on losing Indian Idol 5 hosting job
Mini said she had informed the Indian Idol team about her pregnancy before the start of Season 5. She had assumed she’d stay on through the audition process, and thought she would be able to work even while pregnant. But Mini said the producers ultimately decided against having her, as she would be visibly pregnant by the time the finale episodes were filmed.
“When I was expecting Sairah, which was after the fourth season of Indian Idol, and I told the team as they were going to start Season 5, that I am pregnant and I am going to be fine during the auditions, but by the time we are doing the finale episodes I will be showing. So I was told not to do the season on my face. Reason? Indian audiences will not be able to accept a pregnant host,” Mini shared.
The remark disappointed Mini, especially because she thought it was an outmoded attitude to take toward pregnancy and working women. She added, “I felt very let down with the fact that these people are not even able to see what is happening in the world.”
Mini Mathur and Hussain Kuwajerwala with the first Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant
Mini Mathur later refused Indian Idol Season 6
Mini said that later the Indian Idol team approached her to come back for Season 6. But by then her feelings about the show had changed. She said the experience of her pregnancy had altered her relationship with the program, and she did not want to come back.
“I was called back for Season 6, but by that time my heart was not on the same page. I told them that I do not want to do that,” Mini stated.
Mini Mathur and Kabir Khan with their son Vivaan and daughter Sairah
Mini Mathur’s TV career
started her television career with Tol Mol Ke Bol, which also starred actor R Madhavan. Later she would become an MTV VJ and go on to make her mark as a television presenter. She gained popularity as one of the first hosts of Indian Idol and was a familiar face to the viewers in the initial seasons of the show.
Over the years, Mini has branched out into television, streaming and film. Her credits include the series Mind the Malhotras, while she recently won the Amazon Prime Video reality show Alliance.