Lara Dutta on why she took break from acting

Actor and former beauty queen Lara Dutta has said that she took a step back from her career because she wanted to devote her full attention to her daughter, Saira. She said that it was decided between her and husband, tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, that one parent would always remain with their daughter.

She told Pinkvilla in an interview, "When Saira was born, being with her through her early years was my priority. Mahesh and I were clear that between both of us, one parent will always be with Saira full-time. So, my choices of roles became hugely judged on that parameter. It had to be worth leaving Saira and going to work."

She said that another reason why she took on fewer roles was because they sometimes just weren't good enough. She said, "I was also seeking a metamorphosis in the kind of women characters being written and offered to me. It has to make a difference or add value to lives. In addition, being a producer, an entrepreneur with my skincare line has kept me really busy because even those processes for me are things I am very hands-on about."

Lara made an acting comeback with the Disney+Hotstar show, Hundred. She plays a cop in the series, opposite actor Rinku Rajguru. The Hindustan Times review surmised, "Hundred is a shoddily made series with no performances to watch out for; neither National Award winners nor Miss Universes can save it. We advise you to spend your days elsewhere, whether you have 100 days to live or a 100,000."