Pavitra Rishta fame Usha Nadkarni, 80, shares her inspiring journey of struggle, independence, and lifelong passion for acting, revealing how she continues working with discipline and confidence even today.
Usha Nadkarni, who became a household name playing the strict mother-in-law in 'Pavitra Rishta', is still actively working at the age of 80. She lives a completely independent life. Recently, on the reality show 'Tum Ho Na Ghar Ki Super', she opened up about her struggles, her habit of living alone, and her passion for acting. The actress revealed that she first acted in the fourth grade and has been working ever since. Interestingly, her mother was against her acting in the early days, but Usha chose her dreams, ignoring what society and people had to say. Today, her confidence is an inspiration for millions.
Usha Nadkarni's acting journey began in the fourth grade
Usha Nadkarni, who has appeared in shows like 'Pavitra Rishta', shared that her acting career started at a very young age. She said, "I was in the fourth grade when I first acted. Today, I am 80, and I am still working." In a career spanning over six decades, she has made a mark in films, TV, theatre, and reality shows. The actress mentioned that she was passionate about acting since childhood, but her mother was not in favour of it. She explained, "Acting is my job. I was very passionate about it since I was a child. My mother didn't like it. She was a teacher, so she didn't approve of all this. She was right from her perspective because we were from a middle-class family, and people around us would say all sorts of things."
Usha Nadkarni never cared about 'what will people say'
Speaking about society's mindset, Usha Nadkarni bluntly said, "My take is, to hell with people. You have to do what you want to do. We don't do anything wrong there. One should not do anything that brings a bad name to their parents." According to her, she has always made her own decisions and never let criticism affect her.
Related Articles
Even at 80, her day starts at 5 AM
Usha Nadkarni's discipline can inspire today's youth. She mentioned that she lives alone and does all her work herself. She shared, "When I have a shoot, I wake up at 5 AM. I make my own tiffin. I carry vegetables, roti, rice, dal, and buttermilk from home." She says she is so used to working that most of her life is now spent between home and work. The actress admitted there was a time when she was afraid of living alone. She said, "Earlier, I used to be scared. I would take the watchman with me while going upstairs. I would ask him to stand there until I opened the door. While opening the door, I would keep looking back, as if a ghost was about to catch me. But now I'm used to it. I don't call the watchman anymore."
'You will get work only if your work is good': Usha Nadkarni
Regarding the struggle in the industry, Usha Nadkarni said, "In the industry, you will get work only if your work is good. And even that is not a guarantee. And I am not in the habit of begging." When asked who stands up for her in life, her answer became the most powerful line of the entire interview. She said, "Usha doesn't need anyone to stand for her. Usha stands for Usha." Earlier, in an interview with Pinkvilla, Usha had said that her son doesn't consider her a mother because he was raised by his maternal grandmother.
Projects that made Usha Nadkarni a household name
Usha Nadkarni has worked on many memorable projects in her long career. She has been a part of 'Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai', 'Rustom', 'Bhoothnath Returns', 'Great Grand Masti', and the acclaimed Marathi film 'Deul'. Among TV audiences, she gained the most popularity for her role as Ankita Lokhande's on-screen mother-in-law and the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's on-screen mother in 'Pavitra Rishta'.
