Ratna Pathak Shah on interfaith marriage with Naseeruddin: 'No pressure to convert'

Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah, who met at the National School of Drama (NSD), fell in love and married in 1982 after seven years of courtship. Naseer, previously married to Manara Sikri with whom he shares a daughter, entered his second marriage with Ratna. In a recent interview, Ratna discussed their interfaith union.
In an interview with Hauterfly, Ratna Pathak Shah discussed her adaptation to life at Naseer's home. She shared, "My dad wasn't entirely thrilled, but he passed away before our marriage. While my mother and Naseer initially had a rocky relationship, they eventually settled their differences and became friends."
She further continued that Naseer's family was very cool and didn't make a fuss at all. "Naseer’s family surprisingly didn’t make a fuss at all. Not once did anybody ever even mention the ‘C’ word, convert. Nobody said anything about me. They just accepted me for what I am. I’m very, very lucky because I’ve heard of people who have trouble settling down. Afterwards, I’ve been friends with all of them, including my mother-in-law, who was a very homebound kind of person but extremely liberal in every situation," said Ratna.
Ratna Pathak Shah is widely recognised for her iconic portrayal of Maya Sarabhai in 'Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai'. However, beyond that, she has left a lasting impact with her roles in numerous cult films. Her memorable characters resonate with audiences, a trend continuing with recent films such as 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' and the recent release 'Dhak Dhak'.