Suchitra: ‘My father-in-law kept saying he wanted a grandson’

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi has spoken candidly about a moment that revealed to her the stark reality of patriarchy, an experience she calls her first real “jhatka of patriarchy.” In a recent interview with Filmy Mantra, the actress and singer opened up about the emotional pressure she faced while pregnant with her daughter Kaveri.Felt the ‘first jhatka of patriarchy’ during pregnancyShe recalled that during her pregnancy in London, where gender testing is legal, her then father-in-law would repeatedly call her to express his desire for a male grandchild.

“My then father-in-law used to call me daily and say, ‘I’m waiting for my grandson, I’m waiting for my grandson,’” Suchitra said.While she and her family were overjoyed to learn she was expecting a baby girl, the joy was short-lived due to his constant insistence. “We were all thrilled. My parents and family were happy, all were jumping, pooja kar rahe hain, mithai baat rahe hain,” she shared. But the father-in-law’s reaction was starkly different. He allegedly warned her that it “better not be a girl,” which deeply disturbed her. Eventually, she said, she stopped speaking to him altogether.

On her emotional struggles post-divorceSuchitra has often been open about the emotional highs and lows of her personal life, particularly her marriage and eventual divorce from filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. In a previous conversation with News18, she admitted that her daughter Kaveri was impacted by the tensions between her parents. She reflected on how her own emotional instability may have made things harder for her child, expressing regret over that period.

The actress also described how the stress of legal battles was amplified by relentless media attention. Being photographed outside courtrooms and having personal matters become public fodder only added to her emotional strain.Suchitra and Shekhar Kapur tied the knot in 1997 and welcomed Kaveri in 2001. The couple eventually parted ways in 2007. Looking back, she said that the intense emotional journey she went through was part of who she is, and she doesn’t shy away from acknowledging it.