The highly anticipated reality show Bigg Boss 18 has finally kicked off and the fourth contestant to enter the house was veteran actress Shilpa Shirodkar who is also the sister-in-law of Mahesh Babu. Once a popular heroine in the 90s Shilpa was at the peak of her acting career. However after facing bullying and being labelled ‘fat’ she stepped away from the industry only to make a powerful comeback with Bigg Boss 18. As Shilpa embarks on her journey in the reality show lets take a look at her acting career and the ups and downs she has faced. Born on November 20 1973 Shilpa Shirodkar was a former model who primarily worked in Hindi-language films from 1989 to 2000. After a 13-year hiatus she made a comeback in 2013 with the Zee TV series Ek Mutthi Aasmaan. Shilpa made her Bollywood debut in Ramesh Sippys film Bhrashtachar (1989) starring alongside Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha. In the film Shilpa portrayed a blind girl. However the movie was considered underwhelming and was criticized for its controversial rape scene and unnecessary songs. In the following years Shilpa worked with A-list actors including Anil Kapoor Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda. Shilpa shirodkars Hit Films Shilpa enjoyed immense popularity among audiences and delivered several hit films including Trinetra Hum Khuda Gawah Aankhen Pehchaan and Gopi Kishan. Her performances in these movies were adored by fans helping her climb the ladder of success. Shilpa Shirodkars Flop Films However after tasting success Shilpa also faced a rough patch with several flop films such as Bandish and Bewafa Sanam. Why Did Shilpa Shirodkar Leave Bollywood? Despite her success Shilpa chose to leave the film industry after marrying UK-based banker Aparesh Ranjit in 2000. She stayed away from the spotlight for 13 years before making a comeback with the television show Ek Mutthi Aasmaan which revolved around the lives of domestic helpers. Why Was Shilpa Shirodkar Rejected by Bollywood? Shilpa has spoken about the challenges she faced in Bollywood. She revealed that she was called jinxed due to her lack of initial success. However her uncle helped her land the role in Bhrashtachar and she gradually found success. She also credited Mithun Chakraborty for his support. Shilpa mentioned being rejected for the iconic song Chaiyya Chaiyya because people thought she was too fat. What Is Shilpa Shirodkars Relation to Mahesh Babu? Shilpa Shirodkar’s sister Namrata Shirodkar left Bollywood and married superstar Mahesh Babu making Shilpa his sister-in-law.