On Rishi Kapoor’s birth anniversary today, actor Meenakshi Seshadri fondly remembers the moment he introduced her to the world of X (formerly Twitter), an event that left fans in awe when a photo of her went viral.
Seshadri, who left the film industry in 1995 after marrying investment banker Harish Mysore, returned to Mumbai in 2023 after spending time in the US. Despite her absence, the actor, known for her roles in blockbusters like Damini (1993) and Ghayal (1990), stayed in touch with friends and made occasional visits to India.
In 2015, fans were surprised to see Seshadri’s photo on X, posted by the late Rishi Kapoor, who she fondly called by his nickname, Chintu. Recalling this special moment, Seshadri says, “I met Chintu ji at his residence in Mumbai when I had come to visit. I used to visit him pretty often because we were neighbours. He was in Pali Hill, I was in Union Park, Khar. I will not say that I was very close to Chintu ji but there was a very good rapport. We have done many movies together.”
Kapoor’s X post read, “This is to introduce Meenakshi Seshadari to the X world. I remember the good old days working with her in Damini.” Seshadri reminisces about this gesture with warmth: “He was sweet to introduce me on his Twitter account. It was very sweet when I decided to start a Twitter account and he supported me with some followers and I thought that was amazing. He comes from such a legendary family of talent but he had no ego. He was so down to earth.”
Meanwhile, Seshadri also spoke about leaving behind a successful career in Bollywood calling it “a challenging decision”. She admits, “I will be very honest. It was hard for me to leave India and the creative profession because I loved the creativity and other artists. That whole synergy, to give up that aura and start afresh in US, I would have just been a teacher of classical dance. It was not easy for me.”
Now, back in the film industry, Seshadri is focused on finding projects that tap into her potential. She explains, “Like every other actress, I want to be used very productively and not be wasted. I want to have meaty roles and play a mature character in the sense it should have some depth and integrity. I should also get surprised that I can do it.” “Also because I left right after Ghatak (1996), the memory of fans is such that they will expect something of high standards. I don’t want to disappoint them,” she ends.
