When Ratna Pathak Shah recalled her interfaith marriage to Naseeruddin Shah: 'His family never asked me to convert...'

Ratna Pathak, one of Hindi cinema’s most versatile actresses, comes from a family of stars. She is the daughter of veteran actress Dina Pathak. Over the decades, Ratna has delivered remarkable performances that have defined her career in the industry.

While Naseeruddin Shah had already entered films, Ratna was just starting her career, following her mother Dina Pathak and sister Supriya Pathak. Her charm and dedication impressed Naseer, leading to their love story. However, they couldn’t marry immediately due to Naseer’s pending divorce from his first wife.

Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak dated for seven years before marrying in 1982. Their unconventional wedding faced challenges as Ratna’s father was unsure about Naseer’s struggling career. Sadly, he passed away before their marriage. Initially, her mother also had doubts but later became one of Naseer’s biggest admirers.



Despite their differences in age and religion, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak never faced any obstacles in their relationship. Ratna, a Hindu, told Hauterrfly that she was never asked to convert before marriage. Naseer’s family accepted her wholeheartedly, and she shared a close bond with them, including her liberal and supportive mother-in-law.



Since Naseeruddin Shah was separated but not divorced, he and Ratna Pathak chose to live together despite societal norms. After his divorce, they had a simple registered wedding in 1982 at Ratna’s mother’s home. When Naseer’s first wife passed away, their daughter Heeba moved in, and Ratna embraced her warmly.