Veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak have been married for over four decades now. In a recent interview on the We Are Yuvaa YouTube channel, Shah revealed the two ingredients that helped their marriage to last for forty-one years.
The great actor said that first of all, he and his wife have never set any ‘fixed expectations’ of each other. And secondly, they have maintained their friendship through good and bad times. He said his wife is not always very sweet and she is capable of saying some ‘kadwi baatein’ (she can talk harshly at times) but come what may the couple has always been able to resolve any indifferences between them.
Shah said he grew up in a strict patriarchal environment and that is why he cannot tolerate hypermasculinity at all. He never behaves like he is the ‘master of the house’ throwing instructions to his wife like in a typical Indian household. He and his wife have always been more like friends and partners and not a typical husband and wife.
The ace actor emphasized that their marriage is solid proof that people of two different religious faiths can live together.
“All I can say is that my union (accepted unquestioningly by both families) with a Hindu woman for 40 years so far is proof— if proof were needed—that it is not only possible but desirable for Hindus and Muslims to live together. So, from where did this poison appear? Or were the seeds of hatred planted during Partition slowly germinating all that while?”
— Naseeruddin Shah
The two actors met in 1975 at the rehearsal of the play, ‘Sambhog se Sanyas Tak’ and after dating for about seven years they tied the knot in 1982. The Masoom actor said he took an immediate liking to Ratna Pathak when they did the play. She was only 17 at the time but as the days passed their bonding grew stronger. He realized that “She is a very responsible person, and a very meticulous person. I’m all over the place, but we’ve found a balance.”
Naseer and Ratna previously spoke about the challenges they faced in getting married as they had to convince their families who were not willing to accept the union. Naseer’s father was a strict disciplinarian who opposed most of his life choices. While Ratna’s parents were hesitant not because of the difference in religious faiths but the reason was that Naseer had been married previously.
The duo managed to face all the challenges for seven long years and finally got married in 1982. Now, they are celebrating their union of over forty years by choosing to be there for each other through thick and thin. Naseer and Ratna are proud parents to Vivaan Shah and Imaad Shah.
By Ishita Ganguly
