After gracing the silver screen with numerous box-office hits and becoming a beloved figure in the 1990s, actor Shilpa Shirodkar quietly receded from public life following her 2000 film, Gaja Gamini. Her decision stemmed from a desire to embark on a new chapter: marriage, family, and a life far removed from the dazzling world of Bollywood. After exchanging vows with banker Aparesh Ranjit, the couple initially moved to the Netherlands before settling down in New Zealand.
In a recent interview, Shilpa candidly discussed her life after cinema, revealing how she discovered fulfillment in everyday experiences. Reflecting on her years away from the film industry, she shared, “To keep myself busy, I did a hairdressing course in New Zealand. It was something close to my acting career—with makeup and all that. After the course, I worked in a salon for two months.” However, balancing a new marriage with the demanding hours of salon work proved unsustainable. “We were newly married, and the hairdresser job was very demanding. He (husband Aparesh Ranjit) used to get his offs on weekends, and I was expected to work on those same days. We needed time to get to know each other, and I felt like this wasn’t working for me,” she admitted.
What unfolded next seemed straight out of a movie. Determined to try something entirely different, she made an unusual request to her husband. “I told him, ‘Make my resume.’ He asked, ‘What should I put in it?’ I said, ‘Don’t lie—just put the truth, even SSC fail and my film work.’” Without any grand expectations, Shilpa applied for a few positions and, to her astonishment, received not one but two job offers on the very same day. “For fun, I applied to a few jobs, and went for two interviews on the same day. Like a movie scene, I came back with two appointment letters!” she recounted.
She accepted a position as a credit controller at Dun & Bradstreet, and life proceeded smoothly. But not for long. Soon, an unexpected discovery changed everything once again. “I joined as credit controller at Dun & Bradstreet, and one day I told my friend, ‘I feel tired all the time and have acidity.’ She said, ‘You’re pregnant!’ I laughed it off but took a test. When I saw the two lines, I was stunned. My husband was waiting and when I told him, he jumped with joy. Our life changed from that moment,” the actor recalled, her voice filled with emotion.
Despite experiencing health complications during her pregnancy, Shilpa Shirodkar maintained a positive outlook. “I was on insulin three times a day, lost 20 kilos, and smelled like cocoa butter all the time—but it was the best pregnancy ever,” she shared with a smile. Ultimately, she fully embraced motherhood, welcoming her daughter Anushka and choosing to be a hands-on mom.
