Unwed but unbothered: Bollywood stars who embraced parenthood on their terms

Neena Gupta is perhaps one of the most iconic examples of a woman who defied societal expectations. In the 1980s, her relationship with West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards made headlines. Despite knowing that Richards was already married, Neena chose to keep her child and raise her as a single mother in India—a move considered incredibly bold at the time. Her daughter, Masaba Gupta, is now a successful fashion designer and a celebrity in her own right. Over the years, Neena has spoken candidly about the judgment she faced and the strength it took to raise Masaba alone, making her an inspiration to many.

Karan Johar is another powerful name who broke barriers by becoming a single parent through surrogacy. While not a case of romance or wedlock, it’s important to include him in the conversation about redefining parenthood. His journey as a father to Yash and Roohi has been nothing short of heartwarming, as he’s always been vocal about the joys and challenges of single parenting in Bollywood.

While Sushmita Sen didn’t biologically have kids out of wedlock, her decision to adopt not one but two daughters as a single, unmarried woman in her twenties was nothing short of revolutionary. At just 24, she adopted her first daughter, Renee, and later adopted Alisah. She faced legal battles, red tape, and public judgment—but none of it stopped her. Today, she shares a beautiful bond with her daughters and continues to shatter stereotypes about motherhood, marriage, and what it means to be a family.

Kamal Haasan, too, deserves a mention. As mentioned above, his daughter Shruti Haasan was born before he married Sarika, challenging not just traditional family structures but also gender expectations. While women often bore the brunt of societal judgment, Kamal remained unapologetic and proud of his choices.

Veteran actress Sarika was in a live-in relationship with actor Kamal Haasan during the 1980s, a time when such arrangements were rare and frowned upon. The couple had their daughter Shruti before they got married, and Akshara was born later. Though Sarika and Kamal eventually married and later separated, Sarika’s choice to raise her daughters in the public eye, facing both praise and prejudice, made her one of the early examples of women in the industry taking control of their personal narrative.

While not a traditional example, Preity Zinta and her husband Gene Goodenough had twins via surrogacy before making any major public announcement about marriage or parenting plans. Though details were kept private, her decision to embrace motherhood without following the “expected” script resonated with many working women today who choose to become mothers at their own pace.