Shilpa Shirodkar Quit Bollywood, Became Hairdresser In New Zealand: ‘I Told My Husband To...'
After delivering several box-office hits and becoming a household name in the '90s, actor Shilpa Shirodkar quietly stepped away from the limelight after her 2000 film Gaja Gamini. Her reason? A new chapter in life—marriage, family, and a life far removed from Bollywood's arc lights. After tying the knot with banker Aparesh Ranjit, the couple first moved to the Netherlands and later settled in New Zealand.
In a recent appearance on Gauahar Khan's podcast MaaaNoranjan, Shilpa opened up about her life post-cinema and how she found fulfilment in the everyday. Reflecting on the years away from the industry, she shared, 'To keep myself busy, I did a hairdressing course in New Zealand. It was something close to my acting career—with makeup and all that. After the course, I worked in a salon for two months."
But juggling a newly married life with the demanding hours of salon work wasn't sustainable. 'We were newly married, and the hairdresser job was very demanding. He (husband Aparesh Ranjit) used to get his offs on weekends, and I was expected to work on those same days. We needed time to get to know each other, and I felt like this wasn't working for me," she admitted.
What came next felt straight out of a film script. Determined to try something different, she made an unusual request. 'I told him, 'Make my resume.' He asked, 'What should I put in it?' I said, 'Don't lie—just put the truth, even SSC fail and my film work.'" With no expectations, Shilpa applied to a few jobs and landed not one, but two offers in a single day. 'For fun, I applied to a few jobs, and went for two interviews on the same day. Like a movie scene, I came back with two appointment letters!"
She took up a job as a credit controller at Dun & Bradstreet, and life moved on. But not for long. Soon, an unexpected discovery changed everything again. 'I joined as credit controller at Dun & Bradstreet, and one day I told my friend, 'I feel tired all the time and have acidity.' She said, 'You're pregnant!' I laughed it off but took a test. When I saw the two lines, I was stunned. My husband was waiting and when I told him, he jumped with joy. Our life changed from that moment," the actor recalled, her voice filled with emotion.
Despite health complications during her pregnancy, Shilpa soldiered on with positivity. 'I was on insulin three times a day, lost 20 kilos, and smelled like cocoa butter all the time—but it was the best pregnancy ever," she shared with a smile.
Eventually, she embraced motherhood fully, welcoming her daughter Anushka and choosing to be a hands-on mom.
First Published:
July 07, 2025, 21:34 IST
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