Actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi has opened up about her marriage to filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, recalling that her parents were initially against the relationship because of the significant age difference between the couple.
In a recent conversation with Hauterrfly’s The Male Feminist, the Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa actor spoke about meeting Shekhar when she was still a student, how their relationship developed and the strong reaction it initially received from her family.
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi First Met Shekhar Kapur in School
Suchitra recalled seeing Shekhar for the first time when she was in Class 11. According to the actor, he had visited her college as a chief guest, and the encounter immediately left an impression on her.
“The first time I saw him I was in 11th standard. He came as a chief guest in my college. He looked at me and said something and I was like yay. I was. Fan girl,” she recalled.
She met the filmmaker again a few years later when she was 18. Photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha had reportedly sent her to meet Shekhar for a film project that was eventually never made.
“Gautam Rajadhyaksha sent me to meet him when I was 18 for a film that never got made. After we met, he kept calling me and taking me out. My sister used to be very furious,” Suchitra said.
Her Parents Were Uncomfortable With the Age Gap
Suchitra said her family was particularly concerned about the approximately 30-year age difference between her and Shekhar.
When she decided to marry the filmmaker, her mother strongly opposed the decision and reportedly pleaded with her to reconsider.
“Mummy ne aise pair pakadke bola tha please mat karo (My mother literally held my feet and begged me, saying, ‘Please don’t do this’),” Suchitra recalled.
Despite her family’s reservations, Suchitra went ahead with the marriage.
The actor has previously spoken about the challenges she experienced during her marriage and the eventual separation. During the recent interview, she also highlighted the support she received from her mother when her personal life became difficult.
‘You Don’t Have to Put Up With Anything That Is Disrespectful’
Suchitra said her mother’s attitude changed when she began facing problems in the marriage. Rather than asking her daughter to endure a difficult situation, her mother encouraged her to stand up for herself.
“But when things started going wrong my mother said listen you don’t have to put up with anything that is disrespectful, you are not an orphan,” she said.
Suchitra added that although she and her mother have continued to have disagreements, she credits her with passing on a strong sense of self-belief.
“We have always continued fighting but she has that fire and she gave me that fire,” she added.
Her comments highlight the complicated nature of the relationship between a parent’s initial opposition to a marriage and their later support when their child faces difficulties.
Suchitra and Shekhar Kapur Married in 1999
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi and Shekhar Kapur eventually married in 1999. The couple later welcomed their daughter, Kaveri Kapur.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 2007. Suchitra has spoken about the relationship and separation at various points over the years, while also recalling the role her family played in supporting her during challenging periods.
Suchitra Krishnamoorthi’s Film Career
Suchitra remains best known to many Hindi film audiences for her role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 1994 romantic comedy Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa.
Shekhar Kapur, meanwhile, has built a career as a filmmaker in both India and internationally. His notable films include Masoom, Mr India and Bandit Queen. He also directed the internationally recognised historical drama Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett.
Suchitra’s latest recollections offer another glimpse into the personal circumstances surrounding her marriage, particularly the initial resistance from her family and the support she says she received from her mother in the years that followed.
