MUMBAI, India — Trishala Dutt, the elder daughter of actor Sanjay Dutt, has shared a candid reflection on social media about how women who reject traditional expectations are often viewed as a threat by society.
In a post on her Instagram Stories, Trishala, who works as a psychotherapist in the United States, said women who choose not to marry, have children, or follow conventional life paths often make others uncomfortable because their freedom challenges long-held assumptions about what constitutes a fulfilling life.
“Do you know why so many people are bothered when some say we don’t really want a marriage, kids, or a mortgage? Because our freedom challenges their unhappy, unfulfilled formula,” she wrote.
She added that while there is no universal script for happiness or purpose, people who choose a different path are quickly labeled as selfish, immoral, or wrong. According to Trishala, this reaction stems not from the choices themselves, but from the fact that alternative ways of living peacefully and meaningfully are being openly demonstrated.
Trishala emphasized that the purpose of life is not to seek validation from others, but to build a life that feels authentic, even if it confuses or unsettles those around us.
“We’re not here to audition for approval from others. We’re here to build lives that make sense to us, even when they confuse others,” she wrote.
She also noted that choosing one’s own direction can be particularly unsettling within South Asian culture, where traditional expectations around marriage and family remain deeply rooted. She concluded her post by stating, “I said what I said.”
Trishala has previously spoken about her decision to remain unmarried and live independently in the U.S. In recent weeks, she has also shared cryptic posts about emotional manipulation, which some social media users have speculated may be personal in nature, though she has not named or addressed anyone directly.
Trishala is Sanjay Dutt’s daughter from his marriage to the late actor Richa Sharma, who died in 1996 after battling a brain tumor. Dutt later married Maanayata Dutt in 2008, and the couple have twins, a son Shahraan and a daughter Iqra. (Source: IANS)
