Actor Shanthi Krishna opens up about her two failed marriages, says she was a puppet following orders: ‘I had no income and…’

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In 1998, she married US-based industrialist Bajore Sadasivan and eventually moved to the States, where they had two children. However, this marriage also ended in divorce and the couple separated in 2016. “Through all of this, cinema has been my support, pulling me out of many struggles,” she shared during a chat with Galatta Pink.

Opening up about her first marriage, which happened when she was just 19, Shanthi admitted: “At that age, one has many romanticised ideas about marriage and love. My family questioned whether I was making the right choice, but I was stubborn. Some people learn from others’ experiences, while some need to go through their own to understand. I fall into the latter category.”

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Speaking about her second marriage, she revealed that although it started well, she eventually lost herself in the relationship. “Over time, I lost myself completely. I became like a puppet, simply following orders, unable to think for myself. It was a difficult phase. I had no personal income and was entirely dependent on someone else. I lost my own identity. I desperately wanted it (the marriage) to work. But now, looking back, I question myself—why did I tolerate everything? I was like a puppet,” she added.

“When I have no work, loneliness creeps in. If I want to go out, I have to go alone. I never wanted to live alone. Going out with friends is different. But my marriages didn’t work out. Sometimes, I wonder if it was my fault. Then, I remind myself — it was not my fault,” Shanthi Krishna said.

Following her second divorce, Shanthi made a stronger comeback to movies, landing a key role in director Althaf Salim’s acclaimed tragicomedy Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela (2017). Starring alongside Nivin Pauly, Lal, Srinda, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Ahaana Krishna, she delivered a widely praised performance and the film went on to become a major success too. Shanthi Krishna has appeared in a couple of Tamil films too.