Veteran actress Shilpa Shirodkar, who made her Bollywood debut with Ramesh Sippy’s Bhrashtachar (1989) alongside Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha, went on to establish herself in the industry with films like Aankhen, Khuda Gawah, Kishan Kanhaiya, Hum, and Bewafa Sanam. During the 1990s, she earned the tag of a “sex symbol,” a label she recently addressed in a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan.
Recalling how people often assumed her sister Namrata Shirodkar was younger than her, Shilpa explained, “I was fatter, rounder than Namrata.” When Kannan mentioned her “sex symbol” tag, she responded with a smile, saying, “Sex symbols are a little more voluptuous.”
She further added, “I have no qualms about it. They said, ‘Shilpa Shirodkar is the 90s sex symbol,’ and I got this tag effortlessly. I’m fine with it because the more you run away from something, the more it chases you. I was having the best years of my life. Whether you call it sex symbol, voluptuous, fat, or round, it didn’t matter.”
Shilpa was known for taking on bold and unconventional roles at a time when Bollywood was more restrained in its portrayal of female characters. Her last big-screen appearance was in MF Hussain’s Gaja Gamini alongside Madhuri Dixit. Most recently, she participated in Bigg Boss 18, hosted by Salman Khan, where her journey was well received by the audience.
Shilpa Shirodkar, who recently celebrated for her time on Bigg Boss 18, is currently in Hyderabad, enjoying a relaxing break with her loved ones. During her visit, she spent time at the stunning home of her sister, Namrata Shirodkar, and her brother-in-law, actor Mahesh Babu, in Film Nagar.
