Sushmita Sen has candidly discussed the challenges she encountered after adopting her daughter Renee at the age of 24, revealing that the decision drew sharp criticism from the film industry during a period when single motherhood was still considered unconventional.
Balancing Motherhood and Career in a Pre-Digital Era
In a recent interview with NDTV, the actress reflected on the difficulties of juggling motherhood and a film career in an era without social media or multiple entertainment platforms. "It was worse. You're talking about a world without social media, without the digital boom, and there are far fewer platforms for an actor to work in today. And it's still tough," Sushmita said. "So imagine if you are an actor who only does one platform. And there are rules attached to that platform, which is cinema, that a girl has to forget having a baby. You're not getting married because that impacts your fan following and audience," she added.
Manager Abandoned Her After Adoption Decision
Recalling how people around her reacted, Sushmita revealed that even her manager chose to walk away from representing her professionally. "My manager ran away. He said, 'You're not serious about your career, and I can't represent someone who's a mother at 24. Character roles bhi nahi milenge aapko,'" the actress shared. However, Sushmita said she never regretted her choice and remained firm in her belief that motherhood would not define or limit her career. "He ran away, and I was like, good riddance to bad rubbish. I was quite okay with it. And you won't believe it — after I became a mother, I gave my biggest hits," she added.
Refusing to Follow Industry Expectations
The actress further explained that she consciously chose not to follow the unwritten rules imposed on actresses in Bollywood. "But what it did take was to say, these are the rules — you take them, or you leave them. And my thing was, I'm a self-made woman. I don't have godfathers. Nobody gave me a platform. I did everything on my own. So your rules don't apply to me. My rules apply to me," Sushmita said. She added that her biggest priority at that point was to provide Renee with a stable and loving childhood. "My rule says, this is what I want to do. I want to be a young mother. And I do not want to be incapacitated in any way so as to be able to look after this child and give this child the best childhood possible," she explained.
Industry Questioned Her Acting and Commitment
Sushmita also recalled how the industry constantly questioned her abilities as an actress and her dedication to work. "There was a lot of pushback from the industry, an enormous amount. They were like, 'What is she doing? She's not committed, as it is.' She was a difficult heroine to cast because she's taller than most actors, and she doesn't have all the acting chops,'" she said candidly. The actress admitted that she entered films without any formal acting background and had to learn while working on sets. "I needed someone to help me learn, and I was thrown into doing the job, so I did the best I could. And then I learned on the job," she shared.
From Rejection to Acceptance
Despite the criticism and rejection, Sushmita said she chose resilience over bitterness. "I have always said — my mum says this — that if you hold on to rejection long enough, acceptance follows. So I held on to that rejection long enough, and suddenly it became a wonderful thing," she said. After adopting Renee in 2000, Sushmita went on to star in several successful films, including Main Hoon Na with Shah Rukh Khan, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya alongside Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, as well as Aankhen, Filhaal and Samay: When Time Strikes.
