Namrata Shirodkar Was Offered 'Lots of Bold Roles' Before Marrying Mahesh Babu: 'I Am Not Desperate'

Namrata Shirodkar retired from acting after she married Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu. However, the actress was one a popular star in Bollywood. She even made a mark in Hollywood, starring in Bride and Prejudice as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s sister. The actress was also in talks with Gurinder Chadha for Mistress Of Spices but it didn’t pan out. At the time of Bride and Prejudice, Namrata revealed she was being offered ‘a lot’ of ‘bold roles’.

However, the actress turned it down because she was uncomfortable with the scenes. Speaking with Rediff in 2004, Namrata revealed, “I am not comfortable doing such stuff. I wouldn’t exchange kisses or make love on screen. I am not desperate. Thanks to the Almighty, I come from a secure background.”

Namrata had also limited signing regular roles at the time. “I get several offers, but have refused most. I am making a conscious effort to ensure that my acting potential gets tapped in every project I do. I would love to do only one film a year. If you see my career graph, you’ll see that I have never exceeded two films in a year. So why now?”

Eventually, Namrata quit films in 2005. In an interview, Namrata had mentioned that she quit films because Mahesh did not want a working wife. Speaking with Telugu YouTube channel, Prema – the journalist in 2022, Namrata said that his desire had nothing to do with the film industry. She added that if she was working in a corporate set up, he would have asked her to quit her job.

Namrata was last seen in Rok Sako To Rok Lo, which starred Sunny Deol in the lead. The film released in 2004. The actress bid farewell to Mumbai and Bollywood to move to Hyderabad. She cut away from the film industry. However, she turned producer for Major in 2022.