Genelia Deshmukh says people assumed husband Riteish made her quit films: ‘The reason for me to return today is him’

“Riteish and me, where we are at our relationship or where we always have been in our relationship, it’s a very respectful place. Like his work is totally respected and so is mine,” said Genelia, who added, “When I gave up films, when I took a break after marriage, people would be like, ‘because she is married to Riteish Deshmukh, he must have told her not to’. But the reason for me to be back today is him. He was like, ‘you are good at your craft, why are you sitting at home’. Even if it wasn’t his film, he kept pushing me that ‘do your work and this is what you know’.”

 

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Genelia also revealed that it was her idea that Riteish enters direction with Ved, something that has worked out well for him. “With Riteish, I was the first person who told him, ‘do you want to direct?’. When you bring out the best in someone, you become that kind of support to each other and it’s very, very important to respect that space.”

Genelia and Riteish made their acting debut together with 2003 film, Tujhe Meri Kasam. Post that, they worked together in films such as Tujhe Meri Kasam and Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya.

With Ved, which has become the second highest grossing Marathi film after Sairat with box office collection of Rs 44.92 crore, Genelia said that both of them respected each other’s roles as a director and producer.

“If I tell Riteish that I cannot give you three days, he has to respect me as a producer. Similarly, if he tells me that I need three days for this scene, because as a director, he feels that this is important, I have to respect that,” she said.

Genelia, who plays the role of Shravani Jadhav in the film, also revealed that Riteish was very clear about not giving out inflated box office collection of the film. “Riteish was very clear that when the figures come, we will give them as it is. So, there will not be a point of inflation because if I am speaking a language that I don’t like, you know when I hear people inflating , I need to stick by my gut and do it. So, whatever collections we are getting as a company, we will put it out as it is. That is a sense of high at some level. It is very easy to say that ‘arre lets put it a little more to make it sound better’. As a production house, we are content with what we have and we are proud of that.”