Yogita Bihani recalls being groomed for marriage, taught sewing and cooking: 'We were reduced down to being 'ghar ki izzat''

Yogita Bihani’s journey from a traditional upbringing to Bollywood stardom is nothing short of inspiring. Raised to be a 'good bahu' and groomed for marriage, she broke free from family expectations to follow her passion for acting. Today, the Kerala Story star is not only making waves on screen but also in her personal life, as she prepares for her next big chapter with rchana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi's son Aaryamann Sethi.In a TEDx Talk four years ago, Yogita opened up about her life story, revealing her family background and how she was raised with the ultimate goal of being married into a privileged family.The actress comes from a traditional Rajasthani family with six siblings, as her parents had wanted a son. Growing up, she noticed that her brother was given more privileges, while she and her sisters were treated as the family’s honor. They were not allowed to wear sleeveless tops, capris, or shorts, and her family’s main focus was on marrying her off to a well-off man. While her sisters married young, at 19 and 21, Yogita wanted a different path. She didn’t want to marry early or be a mother of two by 25. Instead, she was trained to prepare for marriage through sewing, cooking, and beauty courses.Yogita revealed that she worked really hard because she was determined to live life on her own terms. That is when she was offered a spot on a TV show. However, her family’s concerns arose once again—they worried about what she would wear on national television and how their relatives might react.While initially her family resisted, she managed to convince them to let her appear on the show. It became a turning point, bringing her attention from brands for advertisements and eventually offers in films. Yet, this was just the beginning of her challenges. By then, her family had begun to accept her career choices. But during her brother’s wedding, the bride’s family objected to an advertisement she had done, in which she wore a swimsuit. This made her family reconsider their support, worrying that similar issues could arise when it came to her own wedding.Despite the setbacks, Yogita once again persuaded her family to support her. She eventually moved to Mumbai, where she appeared in films such as The Kerala Story.