Mahima Chaudhry Exclusive: “I Want to Marry Again; My Grandmother Encouraged Me During Divorce, Saying ‘We Will Raise the Children’”

Mahima Chaudhry’s personal life has been marked by multiple battles—first a devastating car accident, then separation from her husband, single parenting her daughter, and a fight against cancer. In an exclusive conversation with Navbharat Times, the actress opened up about these emotional challenges and revealed her desire to remarry.

Mahima made her acting debut alongside Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. While her journey on the silver screen may have been smooth, real life posed far greater challenges. She survived breast cancer, endured a horrific car accident, and faced the complexities of raising her daughter Ariana as a single parent. Yet, Mahima has never let adversity define her. Currently, she is in the spotlight for her new film, “Durlabh Prasad ki Doosri Shaadi”, co-starring Sanjay Mishra. In this candid interview, she also spoke about deeply personal topics that many celebrities shy away from. At 52, Mahima candidly shared her thoughts on second marriage.

On the difficulty of her divorce:
“It was extremely difficult. I grew up watching my parents’ long and loving marriage, so divorce was never on my mind. Whenever I heard about someone’s divorce, I thought maybe they didn’t try hard enough. But when it happened to me, I realized that if something isn’t working, no matter how much effort you put in, sometimes the wise thing is to let it go. Making the decision at the right time is both emotionally and practically sensible.”

She credits her family for helping her navigate this challenging time:
“Many of my friends were going through similar situations but didn’t take the step I did. Now they say I was so strong to make that choice. Honestly, I wasn’t strong—I just had a supportive family. My mother stood by me, and my grandmother encouraged me, saying, ‘We will raise the children.’”

On remarriage:
“My divorce is still pending, but I do think about getting married again. In fact, after the wedding-themed photos from my latest film went viral, people started expecting it! (laughs) I’m not someone who gives up easily. I believe in the institution of marriage. Two people together can make life joyful. Having a supportive partner is essential—it makes parenting and life easier.”

On bitterness or resentment toward marriage:
“Not at all. I see marriage as important. Raising a child alone is never easy, whether it’s a woman or a man. There’s a saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ In today’s time, when joint family support is limited, this is even truer. Marriage is about companionship. It works best when both partners’ values and life goals align, even if they come from different backgrounds. Compatibility is the strongest foundation of any relationship.”

On single parenting challenges:
“Challenges are there, but my daughter Ariana grew up with her grandparents, so she was very understanding. Even as a child, she knew about financial limits. I remember once at a stationery shop, she picked items but removed the expensive ones, whispering to me, ‘Mamma, we’ll run out of money.’ She has always been sensible and never put me in difficult situations.”

On the toughest time in her life:
“The hardest moments were during my health struggles. Emotional or relationship challenges are part of life, but health issues, especially something like cancer, are the most difficult. I was fighting cancer during the lockdown, while my parents’ health wasn’t great either. Family became my biggest support.”

On her 1999 car accident:
“Yes, it was terrifying. I was very young, and my career had just started. My first film ‘Pardes’ had released, and I was in a second hit. Suddenly, a car accident left 67 shards of glass embedded in my face. My father could only say, ‘No other injury, your face is okay.’ Incidents like these leave a lasting impact. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer later, I was more mature, but that accident had already shaken me deeply.”

On joining “Durlabh Prasad ki Doosri Shaadi”:
“The title itself drew me in. The concept was heartwarming, and I was told that Sanjay Mishra would play the lead. I never imagined I’d act in such a role with him. I was excited, and I think audiences will find this pairing unusual yet interesting. They just need to be open to accepting it.”