She made her Bollywood debut in 1998 with a small role in the super hit film Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai, starring Salman Khan and Twinkle Khanna. And from then, Namrata Shirodkar went on to make a name for herself in the industry.
The actress, who was known primarily for her supporting roles in films, gave up her career when she married Tollywood star, Mahesh Babu, in 2005 and has since settled in Hyderabad. Now, after six years since working in Bollywood, the otherwise reserved and media shy Namrata had a candid conversation with Vickey Lalwani, revealing why she gave up her acting career and her life as the wife of a renowned actor.
Would you say that you are living a life of luxury, since your marriage to the southern superstar Mahesh Babu?
I had many luxuries in life, even before I tied the knot (smiles). No, my life has not become more comfortable. Yes, Mahesh is a big star. But he doesn’t like to flash his money.
He is a very level-headed man. We are not party animals that belong to the Page 3 circuit in Hyderabad. We are happy sitting at home.
But when he is not sitting at home, Mahesh must be attracting plenty of attention from the ladies. How do you handle being married to Tollywood’s heartthrob?
(Laughs) You have no idea about the kind of adulation they have in the South for stars. Girls are willing to do anything for them. But, Mahesh knows where to draw the line.
Well, he too must have had to deal with you getting a lot of male attention. How did he deal with all your share of link-ups in Bollywood?
Link-ups in Bollywood are very normal. Plus, Mahesh and I were very transparent with each other, before we tied the knot. We married in 2005, but we had taken the decision to take our relationship to the next level in 2003. That very day in 2003, we sat together and laid all our cards out.
How would you describe the six years of being married to Mahesh?
Touch wood, it has been cool. It has been fun. I have a lovely son, Gautam. And Mahesh is in the best phase of his career now. But, it has been rough too. I lost my parents three years ago. But yes, this has made us stronger as a couple.
How would you describe Mahesh and your parenting style?
Mahesh spoils Gautam rotten. He never says ‘no’ to his wants. Recently, Gautam wanted a new car for himself. He sat behind the wheel of some small car and was totally fascinated by it. Mahesh was okay with Gautam’s demand. But I put my foot down.
Why?
When you have everything in life, sometimes kids don’t learn what is right and what is wrong. Kids cannot get whatever they want. And I told Mahesh that.
Hmmm, so would you say that you take all the decisions for the household?
No. Mahesh lays down most of the rules. Even when I was dating him for four yeas prior to our marriage, he didn’t want our relationship to be out in the open.
The media was hounding me to admit it. But, Mahesh was clear that he wanted to be stable in his career, before his parents knew about us. For Mahesh, family comes before work. Not many actors have that quality in them.
He loves his stardom, but doesn’t let it overpower him. Yes, a blockbuster did elate him and a flop kept him low for days. He has had that phase in his life. But after marriage, he changed.
Was he instrumental in your decision to give up acting?
They call it love (laughs). He was clear that he didn’t want a working wife.
So, will you never make a comeback?
Never. Moreover, I wouldn’t be able to strike a balance between work and family.
What do you think of today’s Bollywood heroines?
They are good. But they come and go. They exist in phases. I don’t see the kind of talent we had in the days of Madhuri, Sridevi and Kajol. Today, it’s all makeshift.
What do you mean by ‘makeshift’?
Isko Hindi nahin aati, but sign her because she is pretty. Ways have been found to work around the limitations. In our time, if we didn’t know Hindi, we were put through gruelling sessions of Hindi classes. What you saw in earlier days was pure talent. But it’s okay. I am not complaining. I enjoy today’s Hindi films. Some movies are terrible but that’s the case in the Telugu industry too.
So which do you prefer – Mumbai or Hyderabad?
Difficult question. But an extra inch for Hyderabad. Unlike in Mumbai, you wouldn’t end up spending half your day in a damn car.
And what about your sister and former actress Shilpa? Will she ever return to the silver-screen?
Shilpa is back in Mumbai. She shifted three months ago. After our parents passed away, we sisters needed to be closer to each other. So, she made a conscious decision to return to India. And yes, she is keen to get back to films.
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