Ratna Pathak Shah Remembers Grandmother Crying Bitterly Over Sister Supriya Pathak’s Birth Saying, “Haye Haye Doosri Beti Aagayi”

Ratna Pathak Shah has always voiced out her opinion against sexism and patriarchy in the society. This time was no different as she opened up about seeing gender biasness at her own home. In a recent interview, Ratna Pathak Shah reveals how her grandmother cried when sister Supriya was born.

Ratna Pathak Shah on grandmother’s reaction to sister Supriya’s birth

At a FICCI Flo event in Hyderabad, Ratna was asked about raising boys in the modern world. She said, “Having two sons of my own was a very entertaining and unusual experience, one that I wasn’t quite prepared for. I remember feeling very resentful about the special privileges that boys were supposed to get. I remember my paternal grandmother crying loudly when my sister was born. ‘Haye haye doosri beti aagayi (Oh no, another girl).’ And I remember feeling terrible about that. I couldn’t understand why the birth of a girl would be met with such sorrow.”

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This experience left a lasting mark on Ratna. She said, “Even in educated, upper-class households, boys and girls are treated very differently. There’s a whole system of subtle and overt privilege, and unless we address that, true equality remains a distant dream.”

While the Dhak Dhak actress was offended by her grandmom’s reaction, her father’s outlook gave her a ray of hope. She shared how he took the step to avoid discrimination and shared, “He made it a point to push back against those ideas. In Punjabi tradition, there’s a different sweet distributed for boys and girls when they’re born. He chose to distribute the sweet traditionally reserved for a boy, even though a girl had been born. It was his way of saying—she is just as valuable.”

For those unversed, Ratna and Supriya are daughters of the late legendary actor, Dina Pathak. While Ratna is married to actor Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya is married to actor Pankaj Kapur.

Also Read: Ratna Pathak Shah admits to not watching SS Rajamouli’s RRR, reveals getting ‘scared’ seeing Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal poster

Aakruti Bagla

With over 4 years of experience, Aakruti Bagla is a Bollywood and Television enthusiast working as a content writer and anchor in Bollywood Bubble. Whether reporting on red carpet moments or diving into long-form features, she aims to tell stories that resonate with readers and reveal the people behind the personas.