EXCLUSIVE: Shanthi Priya regrets leaving Bollywood after getting married; says “Chodhna mat industry ko, aana bohot mushkil hai”

Actor Shanthi Priya was one of the popular actors in the Tamil and Telugu industry. However, in 1991, she made her Hindi debut with Saugandh also starring Akshay Kumar. She has done 6-7 movies in Hindi and then decided to quit the industry after getting married to actor Siddharth Ray in 1992. Despite starring in successful films like Meherbaan, Maharshi and Sirayil Pootha Chinna Malar, Shanthi decided to lead a happy married life with Siddharth and their two sons. Shanthi then made her comeback to Bollywood in 2022 with Dharavi Bank.

Shanthi Priya on making a comeback after quitting Bollywood

Speaking about her comeback, Shanthi reveals that she regrets quitting Bollywood as it becomes difficult for them to re-enter the industry. She exclusively told us, “Chodhna mat industry ko, aana bohot mushkil hai. (Don’t leave the industry, it is very difficult to come back.) Everything has changed and the newcomers don’t know because by that time I had done 4-5 Hindi movies and I left so it’s quite difficult but down South, everyone knows you. But here to prove myself is like going through square 1.“

Shanthi Priya on advising newcomers who wants to quit Bollywood

“We always say that don’t repent but we still think about it that I should be continued working. I still think that I shouldn’t have quit Bollywood. Because I felt did I not value my work. When I’m seeing my comeback now, the way I’m doing which I never did when I was a newcomer. Now, things have changed and the way I’m trying to come back, I was like ‘Oh, I shouldn’t have quit Bollywood’. So my advice to all the newcomers who get married but don’t leave the industry but if you want to leave the industry think twice and if you want to come back, then think twice my suggestion is don’t leave. And if you’re leaving then it is quite difficult to come back again.“

Shanthi’s husband Ray died of a heart attack in 2004, at the age of 40. She did a few television shows in Hindi but made a comeback with Dharavi Bank. The series starred Vivek Oberoi and Suniel Shetty.

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