Who is Namrata Shirodkar? Former Bollywood actress who married 'Varanasi' star Mahesh Babu’ and manages his business empire

While many know her today as the powerhouse behind the Ghattamaneni household, Namrata Shirodkar was a formidable force in Indian cinema long before she became the wife of Tollywood "Prince" Mahesh Babu.Namrata Shirodkar is a former actress who entered the film business after winning the a beauty pageant in 1993. Hailing from Mumbai to a Maharashtrian family, she is the elder sister of actress Shilpa Shirodkar and granddaughter of Marathi actress Meenakshi Shirodkar. Shirodkar had a slower start, as her big-budget debut film with Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty got shelved. She was later seen in ‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’, released in 1998, marking her official debut film. She made her name in the late 1990s and early 2000s after her big breakthrough in ‘Vaastav’ starring opposite Sanjay Dutt. The film turned out to be a huge success. Although she became a popular name in the industry, her career was not very long.Namrata Shirodkar also worked in Telugu and Marathi films and she met her husband, Mahesh Babu, in 2000. Today, Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar, one of the most adored couples in Tollywood, met on the sets of ‘Vamsi’. They became friends on the sets and their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship. Before getting married, they secretly dated for over 5 years amid challenges like long-distance periods and Mahesh Babu convincing his family about the marriage.Finally, in 2005, they got married in a private ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel in Mumbai. After their marriage, Namrata quit acting as the ‘Varanasi’ actor preferred a “non-working” wife. After their marriage, Mahesh Babu agreed to his wife’s request and shifted from a large bungalow to live in an apartment. They have two children, son Gautham Ghattamaneni born in 2006 and daughter Sitara Ghattamaneni born in 2012.She now manages her family life in Hyderabad while handling behind-the-scenes aspects of Mahesh Babu’s career and their various other businesses. She also has a huge following on her social media, where she often shares close family moments from their vacations and festivals.