Sushmita Sen became mom at 24, and her manager fled thinking it was career suicide
Sushmita Sen recalled that her manager left after she adopted Renee at 24. She said motherhood strengthened her career instead of ending it.
Actor Sushmita Sen has recalled the backlash she faced after adopting her elder daughter Renee at the age of 24, saying even her manager left her at the time.
Speaking to NDTV, Sushmita said people doubted whether she could continue as a successful heroine after becoming a mother.
She said her decision to embrace motherhood as a single woman came at the peak of her career, but the response from parts of the film industry was unsupportive. Sushmita said she was told she would stop getting lead roles, but added that some of her biggest hits came after she became a mother.
Recalling that period, Sushmita said, “My manager ran away,” as she spoke about the reaction to her adopting Renee. She added that her manager had told her, “You’re not serious about your career, and I can’t represent someone who’s a mother at 24.” She also said she was warned that she would no longer get lead parts and would eventually be pushed into ‘character roles’.
Sushmita said motherhood strengthened her instead. “After I became a mother, I gave my biggest hits,” she said. After adopting Renee in 2000, she went on to feature in films such as Aankhen, Main Hoon Na and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya. She later returned with the OTT series Aarya and the biographical drama Taali.
Motherhood, she said, has remained central to her life. In 2010, she adopted her second daughter, Alisah, completing what she has called her “beautiful little universe”. Both Renee and Alisah often appear with her at public events and in social media posts. Renee, who has also entered acting, has spoken about being raised by her mother to stay grounded and fearless.
Sushmita, the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title in 1994, said the criticism that followed her decision did not change her course.
She was last seen in the biograhical series Taali, where she played transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant.
Actor Sushmita Sen has recalled the backlash she faced after adopting her elder daughter Renee at the age of 24, saying even her manager left her at the time.
Speaking to NDTV, Sushmita said people doubted whether she could continue as a successful heroine after becoming a mother.
She said her decision to embrace motherhood as a single woman came at the peak of her career, but the response from parts of the film industry was unsupportive. Sushmita said she was told she would stop getting lead roles, but added that some of her biggest hits came after she became a mother.
Recalling that period, Sushmita said, “My manager ran away,” as she spoke about the reaction to her adopting Renee. She added that her manager had told her, “You’re not serious about your career, and I can’t represent someone who’s a mother at 24.” She also said she was warned that she would no longer get lead parts and would eventually be pushed into ‘character roles’.
Sushmita said motherhood strengthened her instead. “After I became a mother, I gave my biggest hits,” she said. After adopting Renee in 2000, she went on to feature in films such as Aankhen, Main Hoon Na and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya. She later returned with the OTT series Aarya and the biographical drama Taali.
Motherhood, she said, has remained central to her life. In 2010, she adopted her second daughter, Alisah, completing what she has called her “beautiful little universe”. Both Renee and Alisah often appear with her at public events and in social media posts. Renee, who has also entered acting, has spoken about being raised by her mother to stay grounded and fearless.
Sushmita, the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title in 1994, said the criticism that followed her decision did not change her course.
She was last seen in the biograhical series Taali, where she played transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant.
