Trishala Dutt calls out social pressure on women who choose independence

Actor Sanjay Dutt’s elder daughter Trishala Dutt has sparked discussion on social media with a candid note on how society reacts to women who choose to live life on their own terms. Trishala, a psychotherapist based in the United States, reflected on why women who opt out of marriage, motherhood, and conventional life paths are often viewed as a threat.

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Trishala pointed out that a woman’s decision to avoid marriage or having children unsettles many because it challenges what she described as an “unhappy yet familiar formula” of 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 further noted that there is no universal script for happiness or purpose, but society is quick to judge anyone who deviates from the norm. According to Trishala, women who choose a different path are often labeled as selfish, loose, or wrong—not because they are, but because their choices prove that alternative, peaceful ways of living do exist.

Emphasising self-belief over validation, Trishala added that life is not meant to be lived for others’ approval. “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 stated. She also remarked that nothing unsettles South Asian culture more than individuals choosing their own direction, concluding firmly, “I said what I said.”

It is worth noting that Trishala herself has chosen to remain unmarried and lives independently in the U.S. Recently, she also shared a cryptic post on emotional manipulation, which led to speculation among social media users, though she did not name or directly refer to anyone.

Trishala is Sanjay Dutt’s daughter from his marriage to late actress Richa Sharma, who passed away in 1996. Sanjay Dutt later married Maanayata Dutt, and the couple

has twins, Shahraan

and Iqra.