Shilpa Shirodkar reveals Mahesh Babu secretly understood Marathi for years
Synopsis
Shilpa Shirodkar thought Marathi was the Shirodkar sisters' fail-safe private language at home — until Mahesh Babu casually dropped a Marathi phrase mid-conversation, revealing he had understood every word for years. The moment, recounted on India's Best Dancer Season 5, is equal parts funny and endearing.
Key Takeaways
Shilpa Shirodkar appeared on India's Best Dancer Season 5 and shared a candid family anecdote.
Mahesh Babu , who is Telugu , secretly learned Marathi after marrying Namrata Shirodkar but kept it hidden from the sisters.
The sisters used Marathi as a private language at home, believing Mahesh could not understand it.
The secret was exposed when Mahesh casually responded in Marathi during a conversation, saying 'Accha, asa kaay?' Shilpa noted the sisters were relieved they had not said anything embarrassing during the years he was quietly listening.
Actress Shilpa Shirodkar has revealed a hilarious family secret: her brother-in-law and Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu had been quietly understanding Marathi for years while the Shirodkar sisters believed their conversations were private. The revelation came during Shilpa's appearance on the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5, where she recounted the moment the secret unravelled.
The Family Secret Unveiled
Shilpa set the scene by explaining that when Namrata Shirodkar first married Mahesh Babu — who is Telugu by background — the sisters assumed he had no knowledge of Marathi. 'My sister is married to Mahesh, right? Who is Telugu. Unko Marathi nahi aati thi jab nayi nayi shaadi hui thi. Toh hum log, hum logon ko kuch bhi agar bolna hota tha toh hum log Marathi mein bolte the,' Shilpa recalled with a laugh.
In essence, the two sisters used Marathi as their own private language at home, confident that their Telugu-speaking brother-in-law was none the wiser.
The Moment That Gave It All Away
According to Shilpa, the ruse came undone unexpectedly during an ordinary conversation. 'So after a few years of being married to Namrata, me and Namrata were talking about something, and suddenly Mahesh said, 'Accha, asa kaay?' And we were like usko Marathi aati hai!' she said on the show.
The phrase — roughly translating to 'Oh, is it so?' — was enough to expose years of silent comprehension. The sisters were, by Shilpa's own admission, completely caught off guard.
Shilpa's Reaction and the Comic Relief
Shilpa described the aftermath with characteristic humour: 'He was like mala samajhte Marathi. So he actually knows Marathi, he was hiding from us! And it was so funny because me and Namrata literally got caught and we were like, thank God hum logon ne aisa kuch nahi bola ki we would have been really, really taken for a ride.'
The anecdote drew on the comic relief of two sisters realising, years too late, that their supposedly secret channel of communication had never been secret at all. Notably, Shilpa prefaced the story by calling it 'a very personal thing,' underscoring that the disclosure was meant in good-natured fun.
About the Shirodkar-Babu Family
Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar have been married for over two decades, and the family is one of the most prominent across both Bollywood and Telugu cinema. Shilpa Shirodkar, a prominent face of 1990s Hindi cinema, has remained close to the family and continues to make public appearances on television and digital platforms. The anecdote adds a warm, relatable dimension to a household that fans across industries follow closely.
Shilpa's appearance on India's Best Dancer Season 5 is the latest in a series of television stints that have kept her in the public eye well beyond her film career.
Point of View
But it quietly underlines something more interesting: the linguistic adaptability that comes with high-profile inter-regional marriages in India's film industry. Mahesh Babu, one of Telugu cinema's biggest stars, apparently invested years in understanding his wife's mother tongue without advertising it — a detail that humanises a figure who is otherwise seen through the lens of blockbuster stardom. That Shilpa chose to share this on a prime-time dance reality show, framing it as a warm family memory rather than an exposé, also reflects how celebrity families now manage relatability in the streaming and social-media era.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shilpa Shirodkar reveal about Mahesh Babu on India's Best Dancer Season 5?
Shilpa Shirodkar revealed that her brother-in-law Mahesh Babu had secretly understood Marathi for years while she and her sister Namrata believed he could not. The secret came out when Mahesh unexpectedly responded in Marathi during one of their private conversations.
Why were the Shirodkar sisters speaking in Marathi around Mahesh Babu?
Because Mahesh Babu is Telugu by background, the sisters assumed he had no knowledge of Marathi and used it as a private language to speak freely at home. They only discovered he had been understanding them for years when he casually used a Marathi phrase.
How did Mahesh Babu's Marathi knowledge come to light?
During an ordinary conversation between Shilpa and Namrata, Mahesh Babu interjected with the Marathi phrase 'Accha, asa kaay?' — meaning 'Oh, is it so?' — which immediately revealed that he had been comprehending their Marathi conversations all along.
Who is Mahesh Babu married to?
Mahesh Babu is married to actress Namrata Shirodkar, the sister of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shirodkar. The couple have been married for over two decades and are one of the most prominent families across Telugu and Hindi cinema.
What show was Shilpa Shirodkar appearing on when she shared this story?
Shilpa Shirodkar shared the anecdote during her appearance on India's Best Dancer Season 5, a popular dance reality show currently airing on Indian television.
