Rukhsar Rehman, who often appeared in TV shows and had small roles in movies like PK, Sarkar, and God Tussi Great Ho, recently talked about the struggles she faced in her personal life while trying to build a career in the film industry.
She shared that her parents forced her into marriage. At just 19 years old, she ran away with her baby daughter to escape and survive.
In a talk with Humans of Bombay, Rukhsar Rehman said she started acting when she was 17, in a movie called Yaad Rakhegi Duniya (1992) directed by Deepak Anand. She also acted with Rishi Kapoor in the film Inteha Pyar Ki.
But her parents didn’t support her acting career. They made her leave acting and forced her to get married.
By the time she was 19, Rukhsar had a baby girl named Aisha.
‘Marriage fell apart’
Rukhsar Rehman said that becoming a mother gave her life a new meaning.
“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,” she said.
One day, Rukhsar found the courage to leave her unhappy marriage.
“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,” she recalled.
To support herself and her daughter, Rukhsar started a clothing shop in her hometown, Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. But deep inside, she still dreamed of acting again.
Back to the Screen
Later, Rukhsar returned to acting and appeared in small roles in movies like D, Sarkar, PK, Uri, and 83.
Rukhsar married filmmaker Faruk Kabir, but after 13 years, they decided to part ways.
“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,” she concluded.
