Actress Sushmita Sen adopted her first daughter, Renee, when she was just 24 years old. In an earlier conversation with veteran actress Simi Garewal on her popular chat show, Sushmita revealed that she had decided on her daughter’s name when she was only 18.
Recalling the story behind the adoption, the Biwi No. 1 actress said she had imagined meeting children and calling out the name Renee, believing that the child who responded would be the one she would adopt.
“My logic was that I had to meet every single child and call her Renee. And the one who reacted would be my baby. Then, there was Renee, who was kind of sleepy, tired, and almost asleep. She just looked when we said Renee, and she just opened her eyes. She smiled and reacted to her name beautifully,” Sushmita recalled.
However, after she selected the child, Sushmita said she was informed that Renee had significant health complications and that her adoption could be difficult.
“Till this point, nobody told me there was a health problem. After I said that this was the baby, they turned around and said, ‘But we have a problem with this child,’” the Aarya actress said.
According to Sushmita’s account, she was told that Renee had spent four months in hospital after birth and had suffered from acute gastroenteritis and bronchitis. She was also informed about concerns regarding the effects of intensive antibiotic treatment and the child’s future development.
Despite being told about these challenges, Sushmita said her decision remained unchanged. She was convinced that Renee was the child she wanted to bring into her life.
Recalling the moment she informed her parents, the actress said she called them to share the news that she had found her daughter.
“Then, I called up my mother and father, at that point, and I said, ‘I found Renee.’ For this child, she had no choice. She didn’t choose me; I chose her. But, down the line, I hope she chooses me back,” Sushmita said.
Sushmita’s account highlights the deeply personal journey that led her to adopt Renee, with the actress describing how a name she had chosen years earlier became part of her life as a mother.
