Womanhood does not come with one single chapter. It is a book with many stages - puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause. For American TV host Padma Lakshmi and her daughter Krishna, those stages are unfolding side by side, under the same roof.
"I'm going through perimenopause, Krishna is going through puberty. It's a lot of female energy," Padma Lakshmi said in an interview with .
Aw pt 54, Padma is entering a nehase. She recently stepped away from her two-decade-long run as host of Top Chef and is exploring new creative spaces. Stand-up comedy classes, a new food show and a cookbook are all part of her current slate.
For Krishna, 15, the focus is squarely on the stage. She's a student at a performing arts high school in New York and has just begun auditioning professionally. "This has been my plan since I was three. First this school, then Juilliard," Krishna shared.
In the same interview, Padma and Krishna spoke about how they are, in many ways, creative collaborators. Padma helps Krishna run lines for her plays, while Krishna gives her mom feedback on comedy sets. "She's always telling me, ‘Mom, just use me in your stand-up. I give you permission'," Padma shared.
They also enjoy creating together online. On TikTok, they cook, swap spice preferences, and tease each other. Off social media, they debate stage directions, share critiques, and laugh through it all.
"Our relationship with each other is the biggest part of our lives," Krishna said. "So much of our bond comes from us being in sync creatively."
Padma also shared how Krishna softened her idea of motherhood. Growing up in a strict Tamil family, she thought parenting was mostly about discipline. But advice from an aunt stayed with her: 'Show your child who you are, not just what you expect'.
This gave Padma the space to enjoy things with Krishna, like making a tinfoil mic for performances or watching Tina Turner videos together. "That's one of the best parts of being a parent," she said.
Now, both mother and daughter are at turning points. Krishna is working to build her own identity, while Padma is redefining her next act. Yet their connection is steady. "It's wonderful what Krishna said earlier, that we're the most important thing in each other's lives," Padma reflected. "Because five years from now, she will have her whole own life. So I just want to make sure she has a well-rounded understanding of what her craft is and what being an artist means."
For Krishna, the goal is clear. "I want to be taken seriously. I would like to do something that's centred around who I am right now, not who I am as Littlehands. My hands - they aren't so little anymore."
Womanhood may look different for Padma Lakshmi and Krishna right now, but the energy they share is what keeps their bond strong.