Many actors and actresses dream of fame, but not all get support from their families. For some, chasing their passion comes with rejection and struggle. That was the case for Usha Nadkarni. Today, she is a well-known name in Indian television and cinema, loved by millions as Savita Deshmukh from ‘Pavitra Rishta’. But behind her success lies a story of courage.
Usha became popular through Pavitra Rishta
Usha Nadkarni first became a household name through ‘Pavitra Rishta’, starring from 2009 to 2014 alongside Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande. Her fiery portrayal of Savita Deshmukh won her immense recognition and made her a memorable presence on Indian television.
Usha’s parents were strict during her childhood
On Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s podcast, Usha revealed how both her parents opposed her dream of becoming an actress. Appearing on the show, she spoke candidly about her mother, a teacher, and her father, an Air Force officer, recalling incidents that shaped her early life. “They were very strict,” she said, before explaining how her father’s temper often turned violent. While trying to stop him from beating her brother, she was attacked with a curved knife (machete), injuring her arm. She recalled, “He (Usha’s father) was a very violent man, we were terrified of him. One of us would be beaten up, and the other two would run. Once, my brother was being beaten up for some reason, and I tried to stop him. He attacked me with a koita (machete). You know, one of those knives with a curved edge? I got injured on my arm, and I had a play the next day. I went to perform with the injury.”
She was kicked out for following acting dreams
When she expressed her interest in acting her mother reacted harshly. “When I told her, she threw all my clothes out into the street and kicked me out of the house,” Usha said. For a week, she stayed with a friend until her father came to bring her back home.
Silver screen journey
Usha’s career was never limited to television. She appeared in films like ‘Hafta Bandh’, ‘Lakshmanrekha’, ‘Shatranj’, ‘Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar’, ‘Praan Jaye Par Shaan Na Jaye’, ‘Krishna Cottage’, and the comedy ‘One Two Three’. Her big-screen highlight came when she starred opposite Akshay Kumar in ‘Rustom’, which went on to collect Rs 216.35 crore worldwide as reported by Sacnilk.
