Shilpa Shirodkar praises Mahesh Babu’s warmth while promoting Jatadhara

Shilpa Shirodkar is back on the big screen with the mythological horror Jatadhara, and her return has drawn attention after years away from mainstream films. Sharing the poster space with Sudheer Babu and Sonakshi Sinha, she’s been actively promoting the project and spoke warmly about her connection with Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, who is married to her sister, former Miss India Namrata Shirodkar.

In a conversation with host Prema, Shilpa described Mahesh as one of the kindest people she’s known. She said she admires him not only for his screen presence but also for his generosity of spirit, noting he seems free of malice or envy and routinely celebrates others’ successes. Asked whether a screen pairing with him was on her mind, she laughed that it hadn’t come up yet and added that they’ll wait to see how Jatadhara is received.

Shirodkar first rose to prominence in 1990s Hindi cinema with films like Hum (1991) and Khuda Gawah (1992). After Gaja Gamini in 2000, she stepped back from films following her marriage to Aparesh Ranjit, focusing on family life. She later returned through television roles in Ek Mutthi Aasmaan and Silsila Pyaar Ka, and re-entered movies with Guns of Banaras (2020). With Jatadhara, she ventures into a fresh genre as she resumes her film journey.

Mahesh Babu, who delivered the 2024 hit Guntur Kaaram, is currently collaborating with director S.S. Rajamouli on the much-anticipated action-adventure widely referred to as SSMB 29. The project, boasting an international ensemble including Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran, has generated significant buzz. Mahesh and Namrata, now married for over twenty years, are parents to Gautam and Sitara, both of whom have shown an inclination toward performing arts.