In February 2024, the inaugural episodes of the video podcast “What The Hell Navya Season 2” were released on YouTube, featuring Navya Nanda, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, and Jaya Bachchan. In a candid conversation on the podcast, Navya sought insights from her grandmother and mother on the challenges and nuances of modern-day friendships.
During the discussion, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan expressed her views on social media content creators making memes about her. She criticized the quality of these memes, suggesting that if people were going to use her name or face, they should do it ‘properly’. Responding to Navya’s question about whether she was aware of the social media slang ‘Jaya-ing’ and the memes created about her, the 75-year-old actress remarked, “No, I mean, I don’t mind (to be a topic for memes). But the people who are doing the memes are so bad, they should do it properly.”
The first episode of the podcast’s second season, which transitioned into a YouTube video series, featured the three generations of the Bachchan family discussing various topics including challenges faced by women, societal stereotypes, and the importance of financial independence. Within just 24 hours of its release, the episode garnered over 36,000 views on YouTube.
During the engaging conversation, Jaya Bachchan, who was last seen in Karan Johar’s 2023 film ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, highlighted the underappreciation of mothers and housewives, despite ‘housewifing’ being considered a full-time job. She also expressed her delight at witnessing a significant increase in the number of women working in the film industry. In response to Navya’s query about the presence of women on film sets in the past, Jaya responded, “None! Except the hairdresser. Always a woman.”
Discussing the evolution of women’s roles in the industry, Jaya commented, “The younger generation wanted to speak and express themselves,” noting the increasing roles of women as designers, makeup artists, stylists, hairdressers, camerapersons, and more.
Jaya emphasized the importance of financial independence for every woman, stating, “I definitely felt that every girl, child, or woman had to be financially independent,” adding that the amount earned was irrelevant.
Towards the end of the conversation, both Jaya and Navya expressed their admiration and appreciation for Shweta Bachchan Nanda. Jaya referred to her daughter as her “strength,” while Navya commended her mother’s pivotal role in her life.