- Dr Shriram Nene says he is not living off Madhuri Dixit's fame.
- The heart surgeon says he is proud of Madhuri's achievements.
- The couple dated for three months before marrying in the US in 1999 and later welcomed two sons.
Dr Shriram Nene recently spoke about being known as the husband of one of Bollywood's biggest stars and explained why he has never felt the need to prove himself because of her fame.
Dr Nene said people often approach him for interviews because of his wife. However, he does not see this as a problem and believes his own professional journey speaks for itself.
“I don't think you would say that I am just there falsely living on someone else's coattails. In her case, in the US, no one knew who she was and I was the heart surgeon. I recognise her stature here is on another level and I am very proud of her. And I mean it when I say this that there are very few people like her,” he said in an interview.
Dr Nene also made it clear that he has never felt insecure about being married to a hugely popular actor. “I am extremely proud of her,” he said, adding that their relationship has always been about respecting each other as individuals.
Talking about how couples can build an equal relationship despite differences in their professional standing, Dr Nene said both partners need to feel secure about their own achievements.
“I think both of us were kind of secure in our own knowledge of what we have done,” he said.
He also credited their shared values and upbringing for helping them stay grounded. According to him, treating everyone with dignity matters more than a person's professional status.
“If you treat everyone with dignity, from the top to the bottom, and keep the way you were raised in mind — our middle-class upbringing was actually a benefit. Not to say that where you came from matters, because I have met so many people out there,” Dr Nene said.
He also praised Madhuri for being much more down-to-earth than people might expect from someone with her level of success.
“She is a generational talent. When you meet her, you will realise she won't strike you as someone who's done everything she's done,” he said.
Madhuri and Dr Nene got married in the United States in 1999. She later stepped back from acting to focus on family life. The couple have two sons, Arin and Ryan.
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