Before choosing a quieter life away from the arc lights, Namrata Shirodkar had carved a niche with memorable performances in films like Vaastav and Pukar. She even made an international appearance alongside Aishwarya Rai in Bride and Prejudice. But while Bollywood had its doors wide open for her, Namrata drew her boundaries — and stuck to them firmly.

Namrata acknowledged declining several offers requiring her to perform personal or daring scenes in a retro interview with Rediff. She said, “So many!” when asked if she was given these kinds of roles. However, I’m not at ease performing such things. I refuse to make love or kiss on screen. I’m not in a dire situation. I am grateful for my secure upbringing.

She didn’t limit her choice to only certain scripts. Namrata made the deliberate decision to give up acting completely after being married to Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu in 2005. She disclosed, “Mahesh was very clear about wanting a non-working wife,” in an interview with journalist Prema. He would have asked me to resign even if I worked for a corporation. There was a really strong bond between us.

Despite their early romance, Namrata and Mahesh kept their relationship a secret for a while after meeting on the set of Vamsi in 2000. The former Miss India (1993), who was crowned at the age of 21, later turned her entire attention to raising a family.

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Namrata Shirodkar:

Today, Namrata and Mahesh are parents to two kids: a boy who has already had a few cameos in movies and their daughter Sitara, who is a rising social media celebrity. Even though Namrata’s on-screen career was brief—just 14 films—her poised departure and unwavering decisions are still admired and cherished.