For model Runa Laha, motherhood has been a journey of growth, resilience, friendship, and endless banter with her son Rudraksha. From raising him with freedom and open conversations to sharing a bond filled with debates, laughter, and mutual understanding, Runa reflects on how motherhood transformed her both personally and professionally. On Mother's Day, she opens up about balancing ambition with family, breaking stereotypes, and why, despite all their Tom-and-Jerry fights, her son will always remain her greatest strength.
Shooting Together for the First Time
This Mother's Day shoot was our first professional shoot together, and it was such a memorable experience. We were actually fighting the entire time while driving to the set, but before entering, I told him, "Make sure our fight doesn't reflect on the shoot." Thankfully, professionalism won! As a senior model and of course as a mother, I guide Rudraksha with modeling tips whenever he needs them. And yes, I keep reminding him that Rudraksha's height is purely genetic inheritance from his mother—so clearly, I'm still the real boss!
Motherhood Changed Me
Before my son Rudraksha was born, my sister and I used to celebrate Mother's Day with our mother, who is no longer with us. But after becoming a mother myself, I truly understood what motherhood means. Rudraksha is the only person I put before myself, and over the years, he has taught me patience, responsibility, and unconditional love.
Growing with My Son
As a person, I'm extremely impatient, but motherhood changed that. I had to become calmer and more patient for him. I always taught him to reason instead of arguing, but now he debates like Harvey Specter and honestly, it backfired on me! We are both Geminis, both headstrong, and both have ADHD, so our relationship is more like Tom and Jerry at times. But despite all the chaos, we understand each other deeply. Now that I'm going through my peri-menopausal phase, I see him trying his best to keep me calm, just like I once did for him during his teenage years. That role reversal feels very special to me.
Parenting with Freedom
I've never been a very strict mother. In fact, I sometimes wish I had been stricter. I always encouraged Rudraksha to think independently, make his own decisions, and fight his own battles. I believe that helped him become emotionally resilient. At home, we discuss everything openly as I always wanted to create a safe space where he could speak about anything without fear or hesitation.
Choosing Work and Survival
When my son was very young, I moved to Delhi and later Mumbai for modeling assignments, and people judged me for that, but to me, supporting my family financially was more important. And my son acknowledges that, and as a mother, it feels heartwarming as we always tend to take our mothers for granted. I'm very happy that my son is dating a lovely girl named Koushiki, and we share a wonderful bond. I want to break that stereotypical mother-in-law image completely (laughs).
Rudraksha Laha's Perspective
Growing up, I always knew my mother had two sides—the calm, lenient one and the fierce energy maa would channel the moment I crossed the line. Our relationship has evolved through every shade imaginable: love, arguments, lessons, and even the occasional beating when I went off track. Over 21 years, I've seen her stand by me through everything, and somehow time has passed too quickly. Even though I'm an adult now, in her eyes I'm still a kid, and that feeling is something words can never fully describe.
