Meet Rukhsar Rehman: At 17, she debuted with Rishi Kapoor; at 19 she ran away with infant daughter to survive
Rukhsar Rehman, who made her Bollywood debut opposite Rishi Kapoor at just 17, was forced to leave acting when her parents arranged her marriage, believing it wasn't a viable career. After her marriage fell apart, she fled with her 8-month-old daughter and returned to her hometown. Years later, she left her daughter with her parents and moved to Mumbai to rebuild her life and acting career from scratch.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Early Stardom at Just 17
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Running Away to Save Herself
Reclaiming Her Career, One Step at a Time
Audience Reaction and Rediscovery
Not all Bollywood stories are made of glitz and glamour—some are built on courage, sacrifice, and resilience. Actress Rukhsar Rehman , who once starred opposite Rishi Kapoor at the start of her career, lived through a life-altering journey that took her away from the spotlight and brought her back with renewed strength. Despite early success, she was forced to abandon acting due to family pressure, endured a broken marriage, and eventually ran away with her infant daughter to rebuild her life.Shared on the Humans of Bombay Instagram page, actress Rukhsar Rehman recently opened up about the highs and lows that shaped her life—both on and off screen.Rukhsar Rehman was just a teenager when she appeared on screen with Rishi Kapoor in films like Yaad Rakhegi Duniya and Inteha Pyar Ki. At 17, fresh out of school, she was already playing lead roles in major productions. The industry considered her a rising star, but Rukhsar herself was still discovering what success meant. Unfortunately, her time in the spotlight was cut short—not because of failure, but because her parents didn't view acting as a respectable career path.Despite appearing in two successful films, her parents arranged her marriage, believing that a stable family life was more important than fame. She tried to adjust to her new role as a wife and later, as a mother to her daughter Aisha Ahmed. However, her marriage soon began to unravel, and the emotional strain pushed her to make a life-changing decision.At the age of 19, Rukhsar left her marital home with her 8-month-old daughter in her arms. The decision was met with judgment—many mocked her for being divorced so young—but she had no other choice. She returned to Rampur, where her father welcomed her without question. To sustain herself, she opened a boutique, but her mind often wandered back to acting—the passion she had left behind.As years went by, the urge to return to the screen only grew stronger. In 2005, she made another difficult decision: she left her daughter Aisha with her parents and moved to Mumbai to start over. This separation was the hardest part of her journey, but Rukhsar knew it was necessary if she wanted to provide her daughter with the life she deserved.Starting from scratch, Rukhsar faced rejections and countless auditions. Slowly, she began landing roles in films such as D, Sarkar, PK, God Tussi Great Ho, Uri, and 83. Each role was a step forward—not just in her career, but in reclaiming the part of herself she had to leave behind years earlier.Eventually, Rukhsar brought Aisha to Mumbai. She wasn't just raising her anymore; they were finally living together again. Aisha, inspired by her mother's journey, made her own mark in the entertainment world through acclaimed web series like Adulting and Minus One.Later, Rukhsar found love again in Faruk Kabir. But after 13 years, that chapter also ended. The pain of loss was softened by Aisha's constant support. As Rukhsar reflects, her daughter helped her grow just as much as she had raised her.The recent revelation that Rukhsar is Aisha Ahmed's mother surprised many fans, prompting a wave of admiration and nostalgia. Social media was flooded with memories of Rukhsar's performances in PK, Tumhari Pakhi, and Kuch Toh Log Kahenge. One commenter wrote, 'She didn't just survive—she came back for the girl she left behind.'Once believing her story was over, Rukhsar now sees her journey as a powerful return to what she loved. 'When you're meant to do something, you find your way back—when you're ready,' she reflected. Her comeback isn't just a professional achievement—it's a deeply personal victory.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
10 hours ago
- India.com
Meet actress who started her career at 17, faced rejection, fell in love with divorced man, now owns assets worth Rs 134 crore, she is...
In the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, not every actress becomes a superstar. It takes a lot of grit, determination, hard work, and resilience to establish a name in B-town. Today, we will talk about an actress whose career spanned over three decades, and in these 30 years, she transformed herself from a Bollywood newcomer to a beloved actress, fitness icon, entrepreneur, and television personality. Her fitness is her goal, and despite turning 50 years old, this actress looks as young as Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone. While you may think we are talking about Malaika Arora, Raveena Tandon, or Madhuri Dixit — let us tell you, it is none of them. The actress in discussion is Shilpa Shetty. From the flamboyant heroine of the 90s to today's fitness icon, Shilpa Shetty has ruled Bollywood in her own way. Shilpa started her career at the age of 17. However, her road to fame was not easy. In her initial days, she faced many roadblocks. However, she never gave up. Shilpa's debut came at 17 with the film Baazigar in 1993. This was right after her 10th standard. Initially, when she started, no producer or director wanted to work with her, and she had to go through massive rejections, as per a report by News18 Hindi. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Shilpa said that in the beginning, she wanted to work with her father. However, there was always hope in her mind that she wanted to do something big. Soon after entering a beauty pageant, things changed for her. She received the offer for her debut movie, and since then, she never looked back. In the interview, Shilpa said that at first, she had difficulty speaking Hindi, and it used to make her nervous — especially when she was in front of a camera. She said, 'After a few films, I reached a point where my career ended. I have tried many times, but I always lagged behind. It is not easy to celebrate one moment and ignore the next. I remember there were producers who used to remove me from their films without any reason.' However, fate changed, and Shilpa started doing some good films, and many of them turned out to be huge hits. These movies include Dhadkan, Rishtey, Phir Milenge, Life in a… Metro and more. On November 22, 2009, after a short courtship, Shilpa tied the knot with Raj Kundra. As per media reports, Kundra got divorced while he was in courtship with Shilpa. Now, the couple has been blessed with two kids — a son Viaan and a daughter Samisha. In terms of earnings, she competes with big superstars. She has luxurious properties including a sea-facing bungalow worth Rs 100 crore. She also owns a private jet. According to financial reports, Shilpa's total net worth is Rs 134 crore.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Filmmaker Manish Gupta booked for ‘stabbing driver with kitchen knife'
Filmmaker Manish Gupta was booked for allegedly injuring his driver with a kitchen knife, a Mumbai police official said on Friday. Gupta allegedly attacked his driver after an argument over the latter's salary. The incident took place on Thursday night in Gupta's residence in Sagar Sanjog building, the Versova police station official was quoted by news agency PTI as saying. 'Gupta allegedly injured his driver Rajibul Islam Lashkar (32),' the official said. Gupta was booked under sections 118(2), 115(2) and 352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace and other offences. He is yet to be arrested, police said. Lashkar's advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh sought immediate arrest of Gupta. According to Free Press Journal, the FIR stated that Lashkar had worked with the filmmaker for three years, for a salary of ₹ 23,000. However, Lashkar alleged that he was never paid on time. On May 30, Gupta allegedly sacked him without clearing his dues. To earn back his money, Lashkar rejoined duty, but was still not paid, the driver reportedly claimed. This led to a verbal argument between the two on Friday night at the filmmaker's Versova residence. Lashkar alleged that Gupta stabbed him with a kitchen knife during the argument. He then rushed to the nearby Cooper Hospital. After receiving medical treatment, he filed an FIR against filmmaker Gupta at the Versova Police Station. A screenwriter and director, Manish Gupta has directed films like The Stoneman Murders and 420 IPC. His last directorial venture was the 2023 legal drama, One Friday Night, which starred Raveena Tandon and Milind Soman. He had earlier served as a writer in Ramgopal Varma's team, writing the screenplay of films like D and Sarkar.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Filmmaker Manish Gupta booked for allegedly stabbing driver with kitchen knife over pay dispute
Filmmaker Manish Gupta was booked for allegedly injuring his driver with a kitchen knife after an argument over the latter's salary, a Mumbai police official said on Friday. The incident took place on Thursday night in Gupta's residence in Sagar Sanjog building, the Versova police station official said. Gupta allegedly injured his driver of three years, Rajibul Islam Lashkar (32), the official said. Gupta has been booked under sections 118(2), 115(2) and 352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace and other offences, but is yet to be arrested, he added. Lashkar's advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh sought the immediate arrest of Gupta. According to a Free Press Journal report, the FIR stated that Lashkar had worked with the filmmaker for three years, for a salary of ₹23,000. However, Lashkar alleged that he was never paid on time. On May 30, Gupta allegedly sacked him without clearing his dues. To earn back his money, Lashkar rejoined duty, but was still not paid, the driver claimed. This led to a verbal argument between the two on Friday night at the filmmaker's Versova residence. Lashkar alleges that Gupta stabbed him with a kitchen knife during the argument. Lashkar then rushed to the nearby Cooper Hospital and after receiving medical treatment, filed an FIR against the filmmaker at the Versova Police Station. A screenwriter and director, Manish Gupta has directed films like The Stoneman Murders and 420 IPC. His last directorial venture was the 2023 legal drama, One Friday Night, which starred Raveena Tandon and Milind Soman. He had earlier served as a writer in Ramgopal Varma's team, writing the screenplay of films like D and Sarkar. (With PTI inputs)
