Rukhsar Rehman Reveals Being Forcibly Married Off By Parents, Fleeing With Baby At 19

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Rukhsar debuted at 17 in Yaad Rakhegi Duniya and starred with Rishi Kapoor in Inteha Pyar Ki. Forced to quit acting and marry, she had daughter Aisha at 19.
There are stories that never quite make it to the spotlight, those quiet tales of resilience, sacrifice, and the stubborn pursuit of dreams. Rukhsar Rehman's is one of them. Long before she graced the screens in PK, Sarkar, or Uri, Rukhsar was just a 17-year-old girl stepping into the world of cinema with Yaad Rakhegi Duniya. She shared screen space with Rishi Kapoor in Inteha Pyar Ki, but her dreams were short-lived. Under pressure from her family, she walked away from acting. Her parents arranged her marriage, and by 19, she had become a mother.
'With Aisha, I found my new purpose. Life looked perfect from the outside. I was trying to be a good wife. But over time, the cracks began to show. And the marriage fell apart," Rukhsar told Humans Of Bombay.
There was no dramatic exit, no grand farewell to that chapter. 'One night, I packed what little I could and left. My daughter was just 8 months old, asleep, unaware our life was about to change. I kept asking myself, 'Am I doing the right thing?' But I knew I had tried everything. When my father opened the door, he didn't ask questions — just said, 'You'll be okay.'"
With nothing but grit, she started over in her hometown Rampur, opening a small garment boutique to support herself and Aisha. But the artist in her wasn't ready to disappear.
'Years passed. One day, I grew too restless. I left Aisha with my parents — the hardest thing I've ever done. But I had to find myself again if I wanted to give her the life she deserved. In 2005, after over a decade away, I started from scratch — small roles, auditions, rejections. But I kept going."
The path back to acting wasn't easy. But one role led to another – films, TV, and recognition slowly returned. She even found love again and married filmmaker Faruk Kabir. Yet, life had more heartbreak in store.
'It hurt, but Aisha was by my side. I believe she raised me too. There was a time I thought my story was over. But I loved acting too much to let it go. When you're meant to do something, you find your way back — when you're ready."
Up next, Rukhsar Rehman is set to appear in Uttar Da Puttar, a social drama helmed by director Ravinder Siwach and starring Annu Kapoor in a key role. She also makes a special appearance in the upcoming film Thanks Maa.
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