'There's been a dramatic shift in the kinds of roles available to women.'
'It's no longer limited to being the heroine, the heroine's mother, aunty or vamp.'
From the glittering runways to the silver screen, Aditi Govitrikar has defied convention and shattered barriers throughout her career.
As the first Indian woman to win the Mrs World title, her journey is nothing short of inspiring.
She will be seen next in the third season of the Netflix Web series Mismatched.
Aditi tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh, "Why should a woman's career in the glamour field end because she's married?"
You made history by becoming India's first Mrs World. Can you tell us about how that journey began and what inspired you to pursue the pageant?
At that time in India, we were not aware of Mrs World. Also, back then, the glamour industry was considered off-limits for married women.
I had already started my modeling career after winning the Gladrags Megamodel contest, and Mrs (Maureen) Wadia approached me with the opportunity to represent India at Mrs World.
By then, I had been married for a year and saw this as an incredible platform for married women.
I've always questioned the societal boxes we impose on ourselves. Why should a woman's career in the glamour field end because she's married?
I wanted to challenge that mindset.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in competing internationally as a married woman?
I wouldn't say I faced major challenges, but there were certainly questions about my decision to participate in a beauty pageant after becoming a mother.
My baby was just a year old at the time, so eyebrows were raised.
Some warned me that I will be openly announcing that I am married and this might mean professional suicide.
But my family was incredibly supportive, and that gave me the confidence to move forward.
How was your entry in Bollywood received, especially in an era when the industry had a different approach to married actresses?
Actually, I didn't enter Bollywood after marriage.
I was already part of the industry when I got married.
I had worked on Thammudu with Pawan Kalyan, which was a huge success, as well as films like Soch and 16th December.
So it wasn't a new entry; it was simply a continuation of my career.
Was there ever a sense of being judged or facing discrimination in an industry where youth and glamour often take precedence over experience or marital status?
Yes, there was definitely a bias.
Being married led to some reservations among directors and producers about casting me as a female lead.
It wasn't about youth or glamour; I was both young and glamorous. But marriage created certain prejudices that I had to navigate.
Bollywood has evolved significantly over the past two decades. What major changes have you observed, particularly in the representation of women?
I'm thrilled with how much the industry has evolved.
Today, even actresses who are mothers play leading roles. There's also been a dramatic shift in the kinds of roles available to women.
It's no longer limited to being the heroine, the heroine's mother, aunty or vamp.
Women are now portraying layered, challenging, and diverse characters, especially on OTT platforms. It's heartening to see these changes.
Let's talk about Mismatched 3, your much-anticipated show on Netflix. What made you sign on?
When the casting director Panchami reached out, they shared the story, the role, and the amazing cast involved. They wanted me to play Rohit Saraf's mother, and I was immediately excited.
I had seen Rohit's talent in The Sky Is Pink where Priyanka Chopra had played his mother, and I thought this was a great opportunity.
The story itself was engaging, and I knew it would be a fulfilling experience, so I said yes.
In Season 1, my character is introduced as a woman who leaves her husband because he refuses to change his philandering ways. She builds a successful career as a hotelier.
In Season 2, the story takes an interesting turn as she remarries.
The marriage is portrayed in a vibrant, modern way, complete with celebrations and even a song and dance sequence where Rohit's character gives her away.
It was a refreshing take on the character.
In Season 3, the storyline is a bit more stable, without dramatic twists, but my role remains meaningful.
What was the most memorable moment during your time as a contestant on Bigg Boss?
My most memorable moment on Bigg Boss was just after my eviction.
The production team came to my vanity van to meet me, and shared how much they admired the grace and dignity I displayed throughout the show.
They even wanted to taste the Dal I cooked inside the house!
Knowing that people were rooting for me was incredibly touching and left a lasting impression.
What next after Mismatched?
I'm passionate about Marvelous Mrs India, a pageant I've launched for married, divorced, separated and widowed women of Indian origin.
We've removed traditional criteria like height, weight, and skin colour to make it inclusive.
The pageant is a transformational journey. Participants leave with better stress management, time management skills, along with ramp walking, posing, makeup, and hair styling training.
This is a long-term project I'm dedicated to growing season after season. This year, we had Neelam Kothari as our judge.
I'm excited to make the third season an even bigger success.
Looking back at your career, is there anything you would have done differently?
In hindsight, we are always wiser, isn't it?
With the knowledge I have today, I would have definitely made different choices.
But at the time, I made the best decisions I could with the understanding I had.
So yes, I would have led my life very differently but I don't have any regrets. I believe every experience has shaped me into who I am today.
Winning Mrs World will always be a milestone I cherish.
It took immense courage to represent India at a global platform for married women.
