Uri actor was married off at 19, fled her marital home, started career again and went on to star with Amitabh Bachchan, SRK

She gathered courage to run away with her daughter one day. She said, “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.’ To restart her life, she then opened a garment boutique in her hometown Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, to make a living for herself and her daughter. However, the actor in her always had an urge of getting back to the industry and she did.

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“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 actor added. She reclaimed herself and her career with brief roles in films like D, Sarkar, PK, Uri, 83.

Years later, Rukhsar also married filmmaker Faruk Kabir, but they filed for divorce after 13 years. “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.

On the work front, Rukhsar Rehman will next be seen in the film Uttar Da Puttar. The social drama also stars Annu Kapoor and is directed by Ravinder Siwach. The actor will also be a part of the movie Thanks Maa, in which she has a cameo role.