Sushmita Sen, the Bollywood actress and former Miss Universe, recently shared details about the challenging legal battle she faced when she decided to adopt her first daughter, Renee, in 2000. Sen, who was only 24 years old at the time, revealed the emotional and logistical hurdles she encountered in a recent interview.

Sen recounted how she had instructed her father to keep the car running during the court hearing, prepared to flee with Renee if the adoption was denied. "I told my dad at the hearing that just keep the car running, you will take her and you will run away," she said. This demonstrates the lengths to which she was willing to go to protect her bond with Renee, who had already been under her foster care for six months prior to the court hearing.

The actress adopted Renee in 2000 and later adopted her second daughter, Alisah, in 2010. As a single woman, Sen's decision to adopt was considered unconventional at the time and faced societal scrutiny. She had to fight a long legal battle to finally adopt Renee.

Sen revealed that her father played a crucial role in supporting her through the adoption process. According to Sen, her father even signed off on his assets for Renee to show intent and support in court. "I'm so proud of my father. I have my children because of him in a country that requires either a father or a father figure to adopt a baby," she stated.

Sen recalled that the judge in her case even warned her father that no good family would want to marry her because she was a single mother. However, Sen's father defended her, asserting that he had not raised her to simply be someone's wife.

Ultimately, the court granted the adoption, marking a turning point in Sen and Renee's lives. Sen has since spoken about how motherhood has been a stabilizing force in her life. She has also emphasized that she doesn't need a man for anything, being a woman who has raised two daughters on her own.

Sen's journey has been an inspiration to many, challenging societal norms and redefining motherhood in India. Other Bollywood actresses, like Raveena Tandon, Sunny Leone, and Mandira Bedi, have also embraced adoption, further breaking down barriers and demonstrating that love and family can come in many forms.