A simple life even in a starry world

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Sutapa and Irrafan Khan with their son

Sussanne Roshan doesn’t need an introduction. However, in spite of being called one of the most stylish star wives, Sussanne insists that she is not a style icon! Still she got everyone talking about how she dazzled at a fashion week recently. Being a star wife Sussanne enjoys her share of the limelight.

As do Gauri Khan, Manyata Dutt, and many more who shot to fame thanks to their star spouses. Be it award ceremonies, fashion shows, film promotions, cricket matches or parties, we have been seeing them everywhere — with or without their better halves.
However, there are some star spouses who like to avoid the limelight and maintain a low profile. So what makes them keep it simple? It’s a personal choice, says writer Sutapa, Irrafan Khan’s better half.
“I don’t consider myself a star’s wife. Being with Irrafan at every award ceremony or film promotion is not on my to-do list. May be it’s the demand of the trade, but I can’t socialise like that,” she says.
Star husbands find themselves in the public eye too. Cameras have been following Raj Kundra everywhere since he was first seen with Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty. Sanjay Kapur took the media hype for a while before going back into obscurity after speculations of marital issues with wife Karisma Kapoor. Sakshi Singh Rawat went a step further and happily flaunted husband MS Dhoni’s tattoo on her neck.
No one used to stare at Dr Shriram Madhav Nene with envy until the dhak dhak girl broke many hearts and tied the knot with the NRI. Though the spotlight did not spare the otherwise overmodest Nene who was recently quoted as saying, “If I am going out with her (Madhuri), I have to be dressed properly, otherwise everyone makes a comment.”
When sharing life with a famous personality, is it really possible to avoid the camera? Does being a star spouse put one under pressure to socialise and network?
“No, it doesn’t. It’s not all about networking. In this competitive world, it’s the work that counts,” says sarod player, Ayaan Ali Khan who is happy to have found a partner and a strong support in wife Neema.
“Palash is not a very social person and we both like to keep it simple,” says singer, composer and actor Palash Sen’s wife Shalini, who is a lecturer in Delhi University.