Raveena Tandon set an amazing example by adopting two little girls, Pooja and Chhaya, back in the late 90s when she was only 21 years old and rising in her career. She raised them as a single mother until she married Anil Thadani. Raveena has always been so proud of her daughters. She has treated them no differently from her biological children, showing that motherhood is more than just biological connections.
Sushmita Sen is undoubtedly among the top names in Bollywood whose bravery is celebrated in adoption. She adopted her first daughter, Renee, as a single woman at the age of 24 and despite the legal issues and social stigmas associated with adoption as a single woman. Later on, she adopted her second daughter, Alisah. Sushmita's courageous decision to enter motherhood on her own terms has been widely celebrated and inspired so many other people to adopt on their own and reflect on the beauty in adoption to share with pride and love.
Mandira Bedi was already a mom with a biological son, but in 2020, she adopted a four-year-old girl, Tara. She spoke of how her family had always wanted to adopt a daughter, and Tara came into their lives and immediately became part of their family. Mandira's story became all the more remarkable as she continued to inspire motherhood and resilience following the sudden death of her husband Raj Kaushal in 2021.
Although not an actress, one should note Meghna Ghai Puri, daughter of filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who was adopted by the Ghai family. Subhash Ghai has written about selecting adoption, and the unconditional love that connects them. Currently, she is the head of Whistling Woods International, and she has become an incredible advocate for education and empowerment, with a commitment to addressing social issues, notably with women and families without homes.
In 2017, actress Sunny Leone and her husband, Daniel Weber, adopted their daughter Nisha Kaur Weber from an orphanage in Maharashtra. Later, the couple had twin boys through a surrogate mother. The star has spoken extensively about adoption being an instinctive and authentic choice for them, and how happy Nisha has made their family. Sunny's story provided a different perspective into the discussion around adoption in contemporary celebrity culture.