Meenakshi Seshadri, Bhagyashree to Twinkle Khanna: Bollywood divas who gave up the limelight for love and family

The power performer, Meenakshi Seshadri captured the hearts of cinematic followers with popular films such as 'Hero,' 'Meri Jung,' and 'Damini.' At the pinnacle of her career, she exited Bollywood in 1995 to marry Harish Mysore and relocate to the U.S. While Meenakshi became engrossed in family, she began taking on classical dance education. In recent years, she indicated a desire to return to cinema.

Perhaps best known for her iconic role in 'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1989) opposite Salman Khan, Bhagyashree quickly became a household name. However, she soon chose the family unit over film acting and married businessman Himalaya Dasani. Although she dabbled with film and show opportunities, she committed most of her time to the family.

Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of renowned film stars Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, began her acting career with the film ‘Barsaat’ (1995). She married Akshay Kumar in 2001, and later decided to leave acting to become an author, columnist and entrepreneur. She is now known for her witty remarks, bestselling novels and digital platform, Tweak India.

Former model and Miss India semi-finalist Gayatri Joshi made her film debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the acclaimed film ‘Swades’ (2004). After receiving a great deal of acclaim, she made the decision to move away from films after marrying businessman Vikas Oberoi in 2005, and has lived a more private life ever since.

An entity in her own right in both South Indian cinema and Bollywood, Asin appeared in blockbusters such as ‘Ghajini’, ‘Ready’ and ‘Housefull 2.’ After marrying Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma in 2016, she also moved to retire from acting and now leads a quiet life focusing on her family and daughter.

She was the quintessential diva whose charm could mesmerize anyone with a single glance. Saira Banu, a flop actress in her own right, decided to embrace her role as a homemaker and a wife. She gave up everything she held dear to marry the man she loved, the greatest Dilip Kumar, at the tender age of 22 in 1966. In her mind, she thought the constant traveling to different parts of the country and the long hours of shooting could affect their relationship, which prompted her to retire from acting after marriage.

Namrata Shirodkar, an erstwhile Femina Miss India 1993, had featured in some memorable movies such as LOC Kargil, Astitva, and Bride and Prejudice. In 2000, she met her life partner, superstar Mahesh Babu, while filming Vamsi, and they began dating immediately after the shoot completed. 5 years later, in 2005 the couple wed, and nowadays Namrata resides in Hyderabad with her family, gracefully departing from the film scene when her life presented an opportunity for a new life as an individual outside of the drama of acting.

Ayesha Takia is famous for her work in ‘Taarzan: The Wonder Car’ and ‘Dor,’ the former being a commercial success and the latter notable for its critical acclaim, and impressed audiences with her charming charm and versatility. After her marriage to restaurant owner Farhan Azmi in 2009, she distanced herself from films to concentrate on family life and her own interests.