Veteran actress, entrepreneur and social activist Juhi Chawla has always been in the forefront to raise awareness against various social causes. She has strongly voiced the harmful effects of radiation by mobile towers and constantly fighting the battle. Excerpts from an interview:
 QYou played “yourself” in a retro song in the film Pushpak Vimana recently. What made you say yes?
I did it for a number of reasons. My initial reaction to the offer was that what I would be doing an item song, but they explained why they wanted me to do it. This film is set in the 80’s that showcases a programme of a Hindi movie star at that time in the jail to celebrate an annual day function. So I was playing “myself” and this happens where the hero of the film Ramesh Arvind was jailed. I also decided to take it up since this was Arvind Ji’s 100th film. 

 Q You’ve also been actively involved in encouraging radiation awareness through phones. Tell us about it. 
I have two people very actively working with me —Prakash Munshi and Nilima Shirodkar. We are actively trying to bring awareness of long term overexposure to radiation and what it can do to your health. I do not mean to say that they must throw away their devices, but to be more careful about how much they use and how they use them.
 
QBeing a mother, wife and career woman, how do you balance your time between all of these?
I work on prioritising. Once they are clear I try to fit other things in. When you are single it’s just you and your work but when you are married it’s you, your husband, children, work, etc. At the top of the list is my family, work, music and that takes precedence over everything else. Then it’s my social work, friends, etc. So I make sure to balance them all rightly. 
 
QDo you have a performance you are most proud of, or one that’s dearest to your heart?
I have done some lovely performances in a lot of films, but always in the space of goody, funny, romantic, sweet and emotional, but the one which stands out for me is Gulab Gang. It was a totally dark role and I had a great time working on that film.

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 QWhat was the toughest film you’ve had to shoot till date?
It has to be Arjun Pandit with Sunny Deol and directed by Rahul Rawail some years ago. We were underneath the train while it was running over us. I wanted to raise my head, but had to repeatedly remind myself that if I raised my head even a couple of inches I would not have a head. That was one of my toughest films I’ve shot.

 Q You are a great follower of yoga and we hear that you plan to open your own yoga centre soon. 
After each session of yoga, I feel so refreshed, calm and rejuvenated that it has given me a certain kind of inner strength. It has also made me more flexible. I now adapt more easily to situations and find myself being able to work better. We have a 20 acre property just outside of Mumbai by the river, which has a mango orchard, and I have friends and colleagues Rachel and Yasmin who are really eager and keen to take forward this idea with me. The plan is to have people stay there, practice yoga, do pottery, learn organic farming and occupy themselves with therapeutic, healing and simple things which people love to do.