Being Sexy Didn't Work For Me

RITU SHIVPURI shrugs off hardships to make a stellar comeback. RACHIT GUPTA meets the beautiful survivor .

The year was 1993 and the one song that played in theatres, on TV, radio, in auto rickshaws, video parlours and parties…was Laal dupatte wali from David Dhawan’s Aankhen. The dupatte wali girl was the riveting Ritu Shivpuri and the runaway success of the film made her a household name. That was 23 years ago. Since then Ritu’s life has seen changing shades and shadows… While she did enjoy a successful stint at the movies courtesy Bhai Bahi, Hadh Kar Di Aapne, Lajja and Shakti: The Power among others, she didn’t quite capture the marquee. But now, after a long sabbatical, Ritu has returned, her recent outing in Anil Kapoor’s TV series 24 having revived her romance with showbiz. At 41, she looks hotter than ever. Her bikini escapades, her glamour outings on red carpets and her deep soulful voice are a testament to her charisma belying the fact that she’s mother to nine-year-old twins.

Being the daughter of industry veterans, the late Om Shivpuri and Sudha Shivpuri, Ritu grew up in an enriching ambience.