Anita Hassanandani: Work can wait, baby is my first priority

Rohit Reddy with wife Anita Hassanandani

Their meet-cute at a party in 2010 set the stage for romance, culminating in their wedding in 2013. Now, Anita Hassanandani and Rohit Reddy are ready to mark the beginning of a new chapter in their lives - the couple announced their pregnancy on social media in October. However, the initial news held a few bittersweet memories for them. "My father was critically ill and in the hospital when Anita took the pregnancy test, and the results came positive. The timing was so absurd. Our first reaction was that my dad is coming back to us," recollects Reddy.

Anita Hassanandani says that the couple began talking about starting a family in early 2020, oblivious to how the year would bring the world to a standstill. "We decided to have a baby around March 10. At the time, COVID-19 had not set in. We were mentally and financially sound, our health was great, so it didn't make sense to put it off," says the father-to-be, as Hassanandani adds, "Of course, we were initially nervous and worried about having a baby during the pandemic. But if this is God's plan, then so be it." Reddy is quick to chime in, "Maybe, our baby will be the first to get the vaccine."

Also Read: Rohit Reddy on Anita Hassanandani's pregnancy: I said 'Dad's coming back'

Once the life of parties, the couple have made considerable changes to their lifestyle. "COVID has taken control of our [social] life. We can't go anywhere, cannot party, or meet people. So, I think God had this planned for us," says Hassanandani. Ask her if she has her hands full with setting up the nursery, and she says, "We are not changing much in the house. Since the baby will be with us in our room, we haven't [set up a] nursery or decided the colour of the walls." Reddy adds that his wife has become disciplined about her diet in the past few months. "Before pregnancy, she would have weird cravings and harboured a pizza addiction. But now, the only thing she demands at one in the morning is milk."

They may be undecided about the colour of the nursery, but the couple have already zeroed in on the baby's name - "Ravi Reddy," they exclaim in unison. "If it is a boy, he will be named after my father-in-law. This was decided the day I discovered that I was pregnant," says the actor. Reddy adds that they are hunting for a beautiful name for a baby girl. "We have some names in mind - something Vedic and Sanskrit. We want the name to start with AR."

Though she had initially planned to get back to work soon after the arrival of her baby, the Naagin actor, currently in her third trimester, has changed her mind. The mother-to-be hopes to spend her days with the little bundle of joy, listening to his/her coos and gurgles. "I will take a long break. I made up my mind in the course of my pregnancy. Initially, I wanted to lose weight in three months, and get back to work. But now that I feel all the flutters, I don't want to miss out on any moment with my child. Work can wait, my baby is my first priority."

Also Read: Anita Hassanandani on her pregnancy: Now is the time to focus on my motherhood phase

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