Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, who got married in 1982, have established themselves as not only legends in the field of acting, but also as a model couple. Even though both their careers have had immensely different trajectories, their marriage has survived all these years. Ratna recently reflected on her marriage, and shed light on what it is like being married to someone who is in the same profession. She said that above all else, a strong friendship is at the core of every successful marriage.
In a panel discussion at the FICCI Flo Hyderabad summit, Ratna said that it is a blessing to be married to someone from the same profession. “It has been the most fantastic, fun ride I could have imagined. I did not really think it would be possible to have a friendship that lasts so long in such an intimate kind of a setting, but it’s the friendship that has lasted, and that is the most precious thing. That friendship has been created because we work together. I am all for people from the same field getting together. It definitely is a way of supporting, helping and finding common areas of interest; it is quite invaluable.”
She admitted that working in the same industry has its own challenges, and that sometimes “there are issues because careers don’t take the same shape; they don’t follow the same path, and sometimes things happen that are much more conducive for one person than the other.” But she reiterated that being married to a friend can help overcome these issues because you can always find a common ground.
She appreciated her husband’s dedication to his art and described him as a very generous person creatively. “I love the fact that he is totally focused on his work, and he is the most generous person to work with as an actor, as a director, in every way. As a director, he helps every single person arrive at the best of what they are capable of. I love that about him, but I also hate that about him. I love acting, but I am not committed to it the way he is. I do sometimes feel resentful in taking second place to work, but finally I have made my peace with that,” said Pathak.
Ratna and Naseer often work together on the stage, and their most recent performance in Arghya Lahiri’s Old World received wide critical acclaim. Naseeruddin Shah was last seen in Fateh, which was the directorial debut of actor Sonu Sood, while Ratna’s last performance was in a short film, Flying Taxi.
