Television actress Rubina Dilaik has spoken out about a persistent bias in the entertainment industry — one that quietly sidelines women after they become mothers. In a candid interview, Dilaik revealed how deeply ingrained assumptions about stamina, ambition, and professional reliability cost actresses roles the moment they embrace motherhood.

The Industry Bias Rubina Describes

Dilaik said that many producers and makers operate on the assumption that a woman who has recently given birth is no longer capable of sustaining the demands of a project. 'Studies show that 62 percent of women do not resume work after pregnancy because society is unwelcoming towards a woman who has just given birth,' she said. 'At times, the industry looks down upon her and thinks, stamina will not be there, strength will not be there, there will be no ambition. And if there is no ambition, then maybe she won't be able to prove herself. If she won't be able to prove it, then keeping her in this project will be harmful for us. These are the thoughts women are constantly judged with.'

The Pressure Society Places on New Mothers

Beyond the industry, Dilaik pointed to a broader societal reluctance to give women the freedom to make mistakes or find their footing after childbirth. 'Society never gives us that space to just be. It never says it's okay, we will not judge you, even if you make a mistake,' she said. 'There is always this constant pressure, and not every woman may be equally strong or able to navigate her own path with confidence.'

This pressure, she explained, often causes women to internalise doubt about their own capabilities — making the return to professional life even harder than the industry barriers themselves.

Rubina's Own Journey as a Statement

Dilaik, who has continued working through and after her own experience of motherhood, said she views her career choices as an act of solidarity with other women in the industry. 'I, with my journey, since I am blessed that I get this opportunity to show myself that there is still more that I want to achieve. There is a path that I want to pave for myself and my fellow contemporaries who are contemplating that after becoming a mother, not all doors will be closed. So this is for all of them,' she said.

The actress framed her continued ambition not merely as personal drive but as an effort to demonstrate that professional identity does not have to be surrendered after childbirth.

What's Next for Rubina Dilaik

On the work front, Rubina Dilaik is set to travel to Cape Town to participate in the stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 15 — a project that, by its very nature, demands the physical stamina and mental resilience that she says the industry wrongly assumes mothers lack.