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This article was first published 13 years ago

When Bollywood stars adopted

Last updated on: April 25, 2011 14:56 IST

Image: Sushmita Sen and Renne
Shaikh Ayaz in Mumbai

He may not have married but he may just make a great father.

In keeping with his paternal instincts, Karan Johar will soon adopt a kid and become a sort of kunwara baap. Brownie points for such a noble thought but let us remind you that it's not the first time someone in Bollywood is talking about adoption.

Here are the proud papas and mummies who've brought home an adopted child (in some cases, a whole bunch of children).

Sushmita Sen

 

When you talk of adoption, it's given that you have to begin with Sushmita. At the time she became a single mother, she was under intense media scrutiny, thanks to her famous off-screen relationships/break-ups and wildly candid lifestyle. She broke convention to adopted Renee, her bundle of joy who's now 11.

 

To give company to her daughter, she adopted a three-month baby in 2009, whom she named Alisah. Mind you, she adores her daughters so much that she even takes offence if anyone calls them 'adopted.' Now, that's one incredible mommy.

Raveena Tandon

Image: Raveena Tandon

Amongst her achievements, the actress often lists bringing up her daughters, Chhaya and Pooja, right at the top. Her motherhood came much before marriage (to Anil Thadani) in 2004. However, it wasn't so much the need for companionship as the pure joys of motherhood that Raveena went in for adoption.

 

She's never brought her babies to the public's attention and has quietly raised them into wonderful girls. One's married now and the other worked for an event company. She's biological mother to Rasha and Ranbir and that, in a way, completes her family.

Subhash Ghai

Image: Subhash Ghai and Meghna

The showman never utters a word about adopting daughter Meghna who he raised, sent to London to study, got married and even had her entrusted with the affairs of his acting school and production company. She's the daughter of the director's younger brother but the Ghais never made her feel like that.

Today, Meghna still has her father wrapped around her finger, the way she did when she first came into the Ghai household.

Dibakar Banerjee

Image: Dibakar Banerjee

He may have experimented with ideas and turned methods of filmmaking on its head with movies such as Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Love Sex Aur Dhokha but when it came to adopting a kid, he was clear that he wanted a daughter.

Last year, the director brought home a baby girl from an orphanage. Naming her Ira, Dibakar and his wife Richa are said to be quite fond of the new entrant to their family.

Salim Khan

Image: Salim Khan and Arpita Khan

The legendary scriptwriter is known for his plainspeak and equally for his secular credentials. He has two wives, one Hindu, other Christian.

 

There are stories of people who've entered Khan household in Bandra and have ended up staying there permanently.

 

Knowing that, nobody was surprised when the senior Khan one day brought home a little girl. They raised her into a fine girl named Arpita. Her brother Salman adores her and so do the other members of the family.

Nikhil Advani

Image: Nikhil Advani

Despite last year's murky incident of Nikhil's 18-year-old adopted boy making threatening calls his five-year-old daughter Keya, he has not lost hopes on human kindness.

 

Keya, is in fact, his adopted daughter who he and his wife Suparna adopted around the time he finished Salaam-E-Ishq. Those who know Nikhil say that he's a doting dad and takes frequent breaks from work to spend time with her daughter.

Preity Zinta

Image: Preity Zinta

When not acting and overseeing her cricket team, the dimpled actress plays mommy. She conditionally adopted not one, or two or three but 34 orphans from Mother Miracle school, Rishikesh, in 2009. She pays for their upbringing, education and food. She visits Rishikesh whenever she gets time to be around her kids.

Preity, who herself was said to be adopted by filmmaker Kamal Amrohi's son Shandar and made an heir to his property, is keen to go in for more adoptions in the future.

Sandip Soparkar

Image: Sandip Soparkar

Whether he's the glam world's first adoptive single father or no remains in the domain of probability there's little doubt that the dance instructor makes for a model parent.

He adopted Arjun in 2007, a decision which led to some apprehensions in his marriage to model Jesse Randhawa. Arjun is around five now and calls his mother, Jesse, 'Pumpkin'!

Rahul Bose

Image: Rahul Bose

Wherever there's a cause, there's Rahul Bose.

An actor, activist, rugby player and social commentator, Rahul added another role to his multi-faceted life in 2007 when he adopted six kids from Andaman and Nicobar islands where his charity organisation works actively. While he raised money for their upbringing he got them enrolled at Rishi Valley in Andhra Pradesh for their education.