Actresses who took a backseat in their career post marriage

The world of glamour has always seemed mysterious and attractive. However, there are some actresses from the tinsel town, who after having reached the peak of their careers, decided to drop it all after marriage. They graciously made an exit from the spotlight and didn’t look back, barring a few who didn’t let the 'married' tag come in the way of their careers. So, here they are, in all their pre, and post-stardom glory:

Joining the bandwagon of Bollywood's female actors who bid adieu to their acting careers post marriage, is 'Ghajini' actress Asin Thottumkal. A popular actor down South, Asin made her Bollywood debut opposite Aamir Khan in 2008 and went on to star alongside leading actors like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. After a successful acting stint, the actress tied the knot with businessman, Rahul Sharma in January 2016 and officially announced her retirement from films.

One of the first to break the stereotype of women in the Kapoor family not taking up an acting career was Karisma Kapoor. Not only did she enter showbiz but also made a name for herself. Her passion and scintillating looks made her one of the most prominent stars of the '90s. However, Lolo decided to let her career take a backseat after she married Delhi-based industrialist Sunjay Kapur in 2003. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in a divorce in 2016. Kapoor made her comeback as a lead actress in Vikram Bhatt's 'Dangerous Ishhq' (2012). Although she hasn't been seen on the big screen since then, Lolo, a single mother of two, still wows the audience with her stylish appearances at public events.

Making her Bollywood debut opposite Bobby Deol in 'Barsaat' (1995), Twinkle Khanna went on to act opposite all the three Khans, Sanjay Dutt, husband Akshay Kumar and many more top actors of her generation. Famous on social media as 'Mrs. Funnybones', Twinkle gave up acting after 'Mela' (2001) to tie the knot with Akshay Kumar and start a family. Ever since she has been focused on her entrepreneurial ventures. She is now making waves as an author and has her own blog 'Mrs. Funnybones' on the Times of India website.

Namrata Shirodkar worked as a model and was crowned Miss India in the year 1993. She represented India in the Miss Universe pageant and came in fifth. The same year, she also represented India in the Miss Asia Pacific contest and was chosen as the first runner-up. This former beauty queen made a name for herself in films like 'Vaastav', 'Pukar' and 'Bride And Prejudice' and was last seen in the film 'Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai' (1998) opposite Salman Khan. She married Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu in 2005 and hasn’t looked back since. The couple has two children- son Gowtham Krishna Gattamaneni and daughter Sitara.

With her charming demeanour and sprightly innocence, Miss India-turned-actress Juhi Chawla stole a million hearts and went on to establish herself as one of the most popular Bollywood stars of the '90s. Her first break came in 1988 with the film 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' opposite Aamir Khan and ever since then, there was no looking back for her. She was one Bollywood actress with the best comic timing. The bubbly actress got married to industrialist Jay Mehta in 1995 and has two children with him. Although she didn't completely quit acting after marriage, she let it take a backseat to concentrate on her family and other activities. Juhi was last seen in 'Gulaab Gang' (2014) alongside Madhuri Dixit.

Hailed, as the 'Dhak Dhak' girl of Bollywood, the evergreen Madhuri Dixit has carved a niche for herself in the Indian entertainment industry by showcasing her versatility in dance and acting. She ruled the hearts of critics and audiences alike. After delivering numerous hits, Madhuri, in 1999, got hitched to Dr Shriram Madhav Nene and relocated to Denver, Colorado, for almost a decade. The couple has two sons, Arin and Rayaan. Post marriage, Madhuri returned to the silver screen with the film 'Aaja Nachle' (2009) and also judged a few TV reality shows. She later acted in films like 'Dedh Ishqiya and 'Gulaab Gang' too. The family moved to India in 2011.

Sridevi was the undisputed queen of Bollywood during the '80s and early '90s, with her supreme acting and dancing skills. She was certainly one of the most sought-after heroines of her time. Her last hurrah before she temporarily retired to have children was in her husband Boney Kapoor's film 'Judaai' (1997). It was 15 years later that the Hindi film audience saw her again in Gauri Shinde’s 'English Vinglish' (2012). More recently Sridevi took the audience by storm with her phenomenal performance in 'Mom' (2017).

The demure and beautiful Bhagyashree, who made her Bollywood debut in 'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1989) opposite Salman Khan, instantly became a household name and had a string of film offers lined up. But at that juncture, she chose to leave the glamour world to tie the knot with her long-time boyfriend Himalaya Dasani. She sure broke a million hearts when she got married in 1991. However, she did return to the screens with a few films and TV shows post-2000. Even at 48, Bhagyashree looks as fit and radiant as she looked 26 years back.

At the age of 17, Meenakshi Sheshadri won the title of Miss India. Known for her outstanding performance in films like ‘Damini’, ‘Ghatak’, ‘Jurm’ and others, dancer-actor Meenakshi was one of the top heroines in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. However, when she reached the pinnacle of success in her acting career, she chose to marry Harish Mysore, an investment banker. The couple had a registered marriage in New York, following which they settled in Dallas, Texas with their two kids, son Josh and daughter Kendra.