- Suchitra Krishnamoorthi and Shekhar Kapur co-parent their daughter Kaveri amicably after divorce
- Suchitra views herself as the 'full-time mom' while Shekhar is the 'vacation dad' in parenting roles
- She advocates children should have the love and support of both parents after separation
For Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, divorce may have ended her marriage with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, but it never changed one thing – both parents still had an important role in their daughter Kaveri's life.
Speaking to Rediff Originals, the actor looked back at her journey after the separation and shared why she never wanted her personal differences with Shekhar to affect their daughter. Describing their parenting dynamic with humour, she said, “He's the good cop. I'm the responsible one. I'm the full-time mom, and he's the vacation dad. Co-parenting comes with a lot of responsibility.”
“Children Should Have Both Parents”
Suchitra said she has always believed that children should never be caught in the middle of a failed marriage. According to her, both parents bring something unique to a child's life.
“If it's possible to keep things amicable, a child should have the love and support of both parents. A mother brings something different into a child's life and a father brings something different. Children who have both are truly blessed.”
She also urged parents not to let anger decide a child's future.
“Don't deprive a child of a parent because of your own bitterness or personal issues. Unless you believe the other parent is genuinely harmful, the child is entitled to that love.”
Suchitra said she has seen custody battles turn into ego clashes, with children paying the biggest price.
“I Was The Poster Girl Of Divorce”
The actor also reflected on how openly discussing divorce was uncommon when she separated from Shekhar nearly two decades ago.
“I think I was the poster girl of divorce in those days. People would tell me, ‘You're too bold. Keep quiet, you'll offend people.' Today everyone speaks openly about these things. I've always believed you should be true to yourself, and I don't have any regrets.”
She added that becoming a mother also changed the kind of parent she wanted to be. Having grown up with strict parents, Suchitra said she always wanted to be kinder with Kaveri.
Recalling a funny moment, she shared that Kaveri once told her, “Mama, all the other mothers say no. You're the only one who says yes to everything. You need to learn to say no.”
Suchitra and Shekhar Kapur married in 1997 and divorced in 2007 after nearly eight years of marriage.