There are many actresses who have been poignant faces of Indian cinema. The lives they lead in the glamour world seem carefree and glittery. But it is not always what it looks like. Many leading actresses have faced many tragedies in their personal lives, which often pave the way for their brilliance on-screen.
One such actress who has faced all the highs and lows of life is actress Sarika. One of the most brilliant actresses of Hindi cinema, Sarika’s life was never a bed of roses. From stepping into Bollywood at a young age to bearing heartbreak, she has seen it all.
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Sarika had won the National Award for Best Costume Design for the film, Hey Ram. In 2005, the actress won another National Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film, Parzania. Despite her tremendous professional life, Saraika gave her all to give her time to her family. But little did she know that despite all her sacrifices, the actress would lead a lonely life. Let us look at some of the heart-wrenching moments of Sarika’s life.
Born into a Maharashtrian family of Rajput descent, Sarika was very young when she lost her father and turned into the sole breadwinner of her family. At the mere age of 5, Sarika began her career in films as a child artist and has worked in many films as a child actor. As she had to work for a living, Sarika couldn’t go to school.
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Sarika made her debut as an adult in 1975 with the film, Geet Gaata Chal, opposite Sachin Pilgaonkar. Later, she went on to star in various films, including Kranti, Satte Pe Satta, Vidhaata, Razia Sultan, Jaani Dushman, Griha Pravesh, Parzania, Baabul, Uunchai, and many others.
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When Sarika was working in films, she met the South superstar, Kamal Haasan, and the two fell in love. Kamal was already married to dancer, Vani Ganapathy, and the two were facing compatibility issues in their marital life. Sarika and Kamal tried to end their relationship because of his marital status, but destiny had other plans.
While madly in love with Sarika, Kamal decided to end his marriage with Vani. Kamala and Sarika began living together, and Sarika gave birth to their first child, Shruti Haasan, in 1986. After the birth of Shruti, Kamal and Sarika got married in 1988. The couple again became parents to another baby girl, Akshara Haasan.
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Shruti Haasan followed in her parents' footsteps and is a successful actress and singer in Tollywood and Kollywood. On the other hand, Akshara Haasan began her career as an assistant director and later acted in a few films.
Kamal Hassan is one of the most popular actors in Pan India. His name has been linked with many actresses. After his marriage to Sarika, Kamal was allegedly linked with actress, Gautami, which became a reason for constant tiffs between Kamal and Sarika. When Kamal got married to Sarika, she was at the peak of her career, but she left everything and moved with him to Chennai.
In 2002, Sarika and Kamal decided to part ways and filed for divorce. The couple was granted divorce in 2004, but their separation had devasted Sarika. In an old interview with Simi Garewal, Sarika revealed how she restarted her life and career at the age of 21 after her divorce from superstar, Kamal Haasan. Sarika added that she left their home with hardly anything and survived only on Rs. 60. In her words:
“I just did something that was honestly good for me and my mother. It had to be done. It comes after a lot….you don’t make such decisions overnight. I left with Rs. 60 and my car. I coped. It was very hard—it was not just about where the next meal was going to come from, I just kept up with my friends—went to their house, had baths at their home, and at night, I slept in my car.”
Sarika’s mother handled her money when she was working in films. After her divorce, Sarika came back to Mumbai and decided to take ownership of the five flats her mother had bought with her money. But to her shock, all five flats were sold to her mother’s servants. Sarika took the legal route and filed a case to get her properties back. But the actress lost the case and was left penniless.
Since Sarika was a good friend of Aamir Khan’s sister, Nusrat, the actor himself came to help her. Sarika is currently living alone in Mumbai, while her elder daughter, Shruti Haasan, lives in Mumbai and Chennai. On the other hand, Sarika’s younger daughter, Akshara Haasan, lives with her father, Kamal Haasan in Chennai. The daughters often visit their mother.
In mid-2000, Sarika returned to acting with films like Bheja Fry, Manorama Six Feet Under, Parzania and many more. She also made her television debut in the series, Yudh, and the web series, Modern Love: Mumbai.
Despite being one of the most sought-after actresses and a two-time National Award winner, Sarika was dejected and cheated by her own people. Even after undergoing an emotional roller coaster ride, the actress restarted her career after a pause and is doing everything to make herself happy.
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