From running away from home to undergoing plastic surgery at 11 and a ‘fake marriage’ with Ritesh Singh: Rakhi Sawant reveals shocking details
Rakhi Sawant, recently seen on the latest season of Bigg Boss Marathi, opened up about her personal life and journey. She spoke exclusively to Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa on their latest podcast. Rakhi opened up about her struggles, plastic surgery, and more. Here is what you need to know:
On childhood struggles
Rakhi shared, “My mother often fought with my father because she wanted a better life for us. I used to tell her, ‘I want to become something in life, I don’t want to just get married.’ My mother supported me a lot. She even sold her jewellery so we could rent a tiny house and move away. After a long struggle, my sister and I stayed there with her and kept working hard. Eventually, my mother separated from my father. My brother was studying in a convent hostel, but people around us believed girls didn’t need education because they would ‘get married anyway.’ That’s when my struggle truly started.”
How her professional journey started
Rakhi recalled how she worked for Rs 50 to help her family when she was only nine years old. She later confirmed that she had run away from home to fulfil her dream of entering Bollywood. However, her mother later supported her and lived with Rakhi in Bandra. She said, “One day, someone from the film industry noticed me and asked if I could dance. I said yes, and that led me to work on Joru Ka Ghulam. On the very first day, Govinda accidentally bumped into me after lunch, and I was shocked and nervous. Back then, I would wake up at six in the morning, get ready, and even buy my own clothes for auditions and shoots. I started with tiny roles, but gradually bigger opportunities came my way. After that came projects like Main Hoon Na and others. By then, I had become more confident and had started earning money too.” She also mentioned running away from home before making it big in Bollywood because her parents were initially not supportive of her career choice.
Her breakthrough in Bollywood
She said, “When ‘Pardesiya’ became popular, I was still casually eating golgappas on the street. I had no idea what it meant to be a star. In fact, instead of earning much, I had invested my own savings into my work. I even sold the small one-room kitchen home that I had managed to buy through dance performances and private shows. At one point, I told my mother, ‘I don’t want to continue this kind of work anymore.’ Then I decided I wanted to make music videos instead, and eventually a video project changed my life. Around the same time, Main Hoon Na and ‘Pardesiya’ brought me recognition in the same year.” Rakhi also recalled a scary incident during a shoot involving water. “I didn’t know how to swim properly, and water went into my nose while filming. Someone had to pull me out and help me recover. I still remember the people who helped me that day and feel grateful to them,” she added.
How she helped her family financially
She said, “With my earnings, I helped arrange my sister’s wedding, bought her jewellery, and even gave my family a flat. I had to manage everything on my own, and sometimes there still wasn’t enough money left. From a very young age, I became like a parent to everyone in my family. Even today, whenever my brother or sister need help, I try to support them. I helped them settle down, supported their education, and made sure they became well educated. As for me, I couldn’t continue my own studies and struggled academically because life circumstances were very difficult.”
When Rakhi underwent surgery
Rakhi said, “When I used to go to offices for auditions, people would judge me only by my appearance. They would look me up and down and reject me immediately. I was extremely thin at that time, and many other girls who fit the glamorous image got more opportunities. I was turned away from countless offices. I kept wondering what was wrong with me. Back then, I looked very skinny and young. Eventually, I started feeling pressure to change my appearance because I believed that was the only way to survive in the industry.”
Reason behind getting plastic surgery
Rakhi mentioned that she got surgery done at the age of11 to get work. She added, “I decided to undergo cosmetic surgery. At first, doctors refused because they felt I was too young, but I was determined to make it in Bollywood and kept insisting. It was extremely expensive for me at that time, so I worked hard through dance performances and saved money for it.” She further explained that she felt the industry focused more on appearance first, while talent was appreciated later. According to her, changing her looks helped her get noticed in front of the camera, even though she always believed she had talent too.
Rakhi recalls difficult times
“I have seen a very rough side of life. Growing up, I was surrounded by difficult and sometimes dangerous situations, so I became very alert and protective of myself. Many of the paths I had to walk through in life were messy and challenging. But despite everything, I believe I still managed to stay strong and protect my values. Like a lotus that blooms in mud, I feel proud that I survived those circumstances and built my own identity,” the actress added.
Rakhi reveals why she doesn’t want to get married
“People would often tell me to get married and settle down, but I always carried huge responsibilities on my shoulders. I was the only earning member supporting my family, my siblings, their children, and especially my mother’s medical expenses. For years, my life revolved around working, earning money, and paying my mother’s hospital bills. I would keep performing and taking up work just so I could take care of my family’s needs. Even during some of the biggest phases of my career, my mother was seriously unwell, and that stress never left me.”
Rakhi confirms her marriage with Ritesh Singh was ‘fake’
Rakhi mentioned that her marriage with Ritesh Singh was fake. She shared that she met him through an app during the lockdown and that he helped her financially. “During the COVID-19 lockdown, I spent a lot of time at home creating online content and interacting with people, which helped me earn money,” Rakhi Sawant said. She added that she would receive support and gifts from viewers during live sessions, which became an important source of income at the time.
She also mentioned that she and Ritesh decided their ‘fake marriage’ would be featured on Bigg Boss. Rakhi shared that she later found out through the media that Ritesh was already married, something she claims she had not been told earlier. She also recalled that the situation became highly public and controversial after the news came out, leading to widespread online discussions
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