Bigg Boss 18: Veteran actor Shilpa Shirodkar, who is a contestant on 'Bigg Boss 18', has opened up about a difficult chapter in her life—her battle with severe depression.
Shilpa Shirodkar on her battle with depression
During a candid conversation with fellow contestant Gunaratna Sadavarte in the third episode of the reality show, Shilpa shared how the loss of her parents in 2008 triggered a deep depression, and how her husband, Apresh, made significant sacrifices to support her. “When I lost my parents, I went into severe depression in 2008. Apresh was doing so well in his career, but he left it all behind and brought us to India. If only Apresh had been ambitious enough to stay back and not give up his career for me, he would have been in a great position today in the banking world,” she said.
Known for her performances alongside Mithun Chakraborty, Suniel Shetty, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, and Govinda in the 1990s, Shilpa took a break from acting to focus on her family. After a hiatus, she returned to the screen in 2013 with the TV show ‘Ek Mutthi Aasmaan.’
Shilpa on not regretting her decision to quit films
Gunaratna praised Shilpa's stardom, saying, “It’s once in 50 years that we see the arrival of a great star. I believe you were one of them, along with Madhuri Dixit. But because you left suddenly, you were left behind.”
Shilpa replied, “But I don’t regret my decision at all.” Gunaratna said, “But your viewers do. A celeb’s life is not theirs alone, they become part of their viewer’s life. Watching you, Madhuri and Kangana is a delight.”
In the same episode, Shilpa spoke about how their encouragement has helped her cope and make a return to the public eye. “My husband and my daughter are so supportive. If I am here today, it is only because of them. The way my daughter supports me, it’s unreal. I have seen my mother sacrifice things for us, so I think, if I do that for my daughter, she will be stronger,” she said.
How Namrata Shirodkar and Mahesh Babu reacted to Shilpa's Bigg Boss participation
Earlier, in a conversation with Times of India, Shilpa had shared her sister Namrata Shirodkar and brother-in-law Mahesh Babu’s reaction to her joining the reality show. She said, “(Namrata and Mahesh) are very happy for me. They are very proud of me and they just know that whatever I do, I'll do it myself. I know I'm going to make them very proud. As a family, we are a very close-knit family. They are very supportive of me.”