In a candid revelation, Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha has shared how she intentionally kept her famous lineage a secret during her college years. The daughter of veteran actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha, Sonakshi wanted to avoid the "weird" and different treatment that often comes with being a celebrity child.
The College Carpool That Revealed A Secret
Recalling an incident from her second year at SNDT College in Mumbai, Sonakshi narrated a story set during the notorious Mumbai floods. With personal cars not being used for college commutes at the time, she hitched a ride with a fellow student. "She asked, 'Who all are going to Juhu?' So I said, 'I need to go to Juhu,'" Sonakshi said.
The simple question of "Where do you stay?" led to the big reveal. The classmate, trying to pinpoint the location, said, "You know Shatrughan Sinha’s house? I stay behind his house." To this, Sonakshi had to confess, "Shatrughan Sinha’s house…I stay there." The classmate was left in utter shock, unable to process that the girl she had known for two years was the daughter of the iconic star.
Choosing Anonymity Over Celebrity Status
Sonakshi Sinha explained her deliberate choice to stay under the radar. "These girls had been with me in college for two years, and they had no idea," she reflected. Her reason was straightforward and rooted in a desire for normalcy: "Because there’s no point in saying…Then they start behaving weird and different."
For Sonakshi, this decision was about preserving the authenticity of her relationships. "It’s just nicer to have that neutral ground with everyone," she stated. By blending in as just another student, she protected her interactions from the distortions and expectations that fame often brings, seeking a healthier emotional space free from performance.
The Psychological Landscape of Proximity to Fame
Counselling psychologist Priyamvada Tendulkar sheds light on the complex emotional terrain navigated by those close to fame, whether by birth or partnership. She points out that insecurity can breed on irrational beliefs in such dynamics.
"'If my partner is loved by so many, I must not be special to them.' Or, 'If I don’t match their success or charisma, I’m unworthy of them,'" Tendulkar explains. Sonakshi's story presents the flip side, where the individual with fame chooses to conceal it to safeguard genuine human connection.
Tendulkar warns that family members of public figures can slowly "lose their individuality, feeling like an extension of their fame." This erosion of self-definition can trigger a silent crisis, making one question their identity outside of the famous relationship. The path to reclaiming one's self, according to the psychologist, involves pursuing independent passions and finding meaning in one’s own voice.
Sonakshi Sinha's instinct to let people know her for who she was, before knowing whose daughter she was, highlights a profound understanding of the pressures of celebrity. Her college anecdote, shared in an interview on January 6, 2026, remains a testament to the challenge of maintaining normalcy in the shadow of immense fame.
