Bigg Boss 18 fame Shilpa Shirodkar is relishing the spotlight after her rollercoaster journey on the controversial reality show. In an exclusive interview, the popular 90s Bollywood actress addressed claims of her sister Namrata and brother-in-law Mahesh Babu not supporting her during her stint on the show. She also reflected on battling depression after losing her parents and became emotional during the conversation.
“Life after Bigg Boss is busy, and I’m loving it,” Shilpa said. “I wanted to work again and be busy, and I feel God is hearing all my prayers. Wherever I’m going, people are meeting me with so much love and affection.
They say such good things and praise me for being in the house with dignity and grace. I feel I’ve won a lot of hearts, and for me, that’s what matters the most—that I was able to be me.”
Shilpa recently reunited with her sister Namrata after the show. “It was great meeting my sister Namrata and family.
My husband and daughter live in the UK, and as soon as my husband went back after the finale, I traveled to Hyderabad to meet Namrata. It was so beautiful because I was meeting her after four and a half months. Family comes first for me, and when Namrata saw me for the first time, even she was shocked seeing my weight loss.”
Namrata expressed her pride, saying, “I’m so proud of you.” Shilpa added, “My family is so proud of me; nobody imagined that I would manage to survive for so long in the show.
The more I stayed inside the house, they were just happy and proud that I was being me.”
Shilpa also cleared up misconceptions about her relationship with Namrata. “There are misconceptions that Namrata and I had a fight because of my decision to do Bigg Boss, but they didn’t know she was part of my entire process of signing the contract. It was just a sister’s tiff.
When we met, we didn’t even discuss why we fought.”
Addressing claims of lack of support from her family, Shilpa said, “When I was in the house, I realized many things about life and relationships. One of them was that I can’t make everyone happy. There’s always a mix of audience; some will understand you and some will not.
I’ve been true to myself, and I know my family. I don’t need to justify or answer to anyone. For me, this is enough.”
Shilpa also opened up about the personal struggles she faced after losing her parents in 2007.
“Their demise, which happened in short intervals, took a toll on me emotionally and mentally. It was a very tough phase.
Mahesh Babu’s reserved support explained
My entire family went through a lot, but my husband was my backbone during that time. He left his job to support me emotionally. It was very beautiful.”
The actress expressed gratitude for her supportive family.
“I have no regrets about leaving the industry and am very lucky to have my husband Upresh in my life. He was at the peak of his career, but he left that for me. Had he continued, he would have been at a different level.
But everyone has their destiny, and we have seen ours play out. Today I’m doing what I’m doing because I have a very supportive family.”
Shilpa also recalled a challenging period in her career when people ignored her calls for work despite her established reputation in the industry. “Aaj wahi log message karte hain,” she said, highlighting the irony that the same individuals who once overlooked her are now reaching out.
Reflecting on her tough times, Shilpa emphasized the importance of persistence and self-belief. Her journey is a testament to the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry, where popularity can be fleeting, and resilience is key to survival. Shilpa also defended her brother-in-law, superstar Mahesh Babu, amidst criticism for not publicly supporting her during her stint on Bigg Boss 18.
“Relationships shouldn’t be gauged by the posts shared on social media. I don’t understand this concept. They don’t need to post on social media to show me how proud they are of me as a family,” Shilpa said.
“We are not the kind of family that openly expresses our feelings for each other. I went into the house for who I am, not as Namrata’s sister or Mahesh’s sister-in-law. Of course, he is a superstar and very popular, but that doesn’t mean he has to be part of my career too.”
Shilpa also tackled the perception that Mahesh Babu and Namrata are distant or unapproachable.
“Mahesh and Namrata are very reserved people, and the world is quick to label them arrogant. Mahesh is reserved, but he is a very nice person. He is very, very cool.
If you need anything, he will be there for you.”
Shilpa Shirodkar worked primarily in Bollywood films from 1989 to 2000 before taking a 13-year hiatus to focus on her family in London. She made her comeback in 2013 with the television show “Ek Mutthi Aasmaan” and has since been part of several TV shows.