Ritu Shivpuri became a star right after she made a stunning appearance on the silver screen in the song O laal dupatte walee teraa naam toh bataa.... from the film Aakhein opposite Govinda.
However, after making a mark in Bollywood, Ritu suddenly disappeared from the limelight and her fans also gradually forgot about her.
Now the actress is back with a bang and how. Ritu, daughter of famous actors Sudha and Om Shivpuri, recently made an appearance on Anil Kapoor's 24. For the uninitiated, we'd like to tell you that Sudha Shivpuri is the famous actor who played the role of Baa in Ekta Kapoor's popular daily soap Kyunki Saas Bhee Kabhi Bahu Thi.
Ritu says that she gave up acting at the time of her marriage as she was hardly finding any time for her family and her husband.
"I started with films. Later, when I took up a TV show in 2006, I ended up shooting 18 to 20 hours a day. My husband would be asleep by the time I got back home. That's when I realised I was neglecting my family and hence, gave up acting," she said in an interview.
Sadly, life was also not easy for her as her husband Hari developed a spine tumour and was bedridden at the age of 36.
"It was a difficult phase, but he fought it and recovered in a couple of years. He considers me his backbone and derives his strength from me," she smiles.
Continue reading on the next page on why Ritu feels she would make it big on the small screen just like her mother!
Now that her husband has fully recovered and her kids are old enough to be without their mother, Ritu is back to her first love, acting.
"My kids are seven. They are busy and so is my husband. I started acting at 17 and honestly, I miss it terribly. So, I decided to get back to work.You can't make a show without distinctive characters. Everybody gets a second chance and so will I. Like my mother (Sudha), who was known as 'Jagat baa', I hope I get a long-running show, too," she said in the interview.
While it can be an uphill task for her to resurrect her career, Ritu has no regrets.
"I don't regret it or else, I wouldn't have married Hari, after dating a few weird people. I thank my stars that I didn't marry an actor. Honesty is of prime importance for me in any relationship and the guys, I was involved with, were dishonest. Hari and I are honest with each other," she says.
While it can be difficult to re-start your career, like Ritu you have to take everything forward with a positive attitude. Here are a few tips that might help mums who want to resurrect their careers:
1. Know what you're best at: Like Ritu it's important for mothers/women to know what they're best at. Analyse all your positives and negatives and then take a call on what you want to pursue.
2. Don't have any regrets: If you constantly complain about how things could have been if you hadn't taken a break, you would only end up frustrating yourself. Instead, focus on the positive and start afresh. Be ready to face obstacles, but face them with a smile and a positive attitude.
3. Be on your toes: Having a laidback attitude is the last thing you need if you're getting back to work again. Be ready to face challenges, buckle your shoes and do everything you can to get what you desire. We're sure you'd go places!
Also Read: Mothers should be rewarded for a career break not penalised
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