More than Mahesh Babu’s wife Namrata Shirodkar’s journey of grace and power

Namrata's entry into the limelight was by design, and not by accident - she comes from a family that was very much in cinema. Her grandmother, Meenakshi Shirodkar, was considered a game-changer when she broke away and donned a swimsuit in a Marathi film in 1938 - which was deemed scandalous. Her sister, Shilpa Shirodkar, successfully made her way into Bollywood, meaning Namrata is the third generation of false and scrupulous women in a family.

Before she got into films, Namrata was a crowned beauty queen - having been crowned Miss India in 1993 and also placed in both Miss Universe and Miss Asia Pacific in 1993. She was supposed to launch into a big budget Bollywood film opposite Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty. Unfortunately, the production was shelved causing Namrata's actual launch into films to be delayed.

While Namrata did not seek fame in the same way others in her beauty pageant circle did, she did create an impressive portfolio of impactful supporting roles, notably with films such as 'Vaastav', 'Kachche Dhaage' and 'Pukar'. She earned considerable praise for her work in Pukar and was even featured in the international crossover film Bride & Prejudice, where she gained attention internationally.

In an old chat with journalist Prema, Namrata had also spoken about leaving movies after getting married. She had said, "Mahesh was very clear that he wanted a non-working wife. Even if I was working in some office, he would have told me to leave work. There are certain things we had for each other."

After getting married, Namrata made the decision to leave acting and focus on her domestic life — a decision that was, in part, a result of her husband's desire for a quieter lifestyle. She did not fade into the distance, however, she built a role of her own, which had her managing Mahesh Babu's career behind the scenes, focusing on branding, endorsements, and charity work. From being in front of the camera, to managing everything behind the scenes, Namrata completely reinvented herself.