Maria Goretti reveals the surprising way she tracked Arshad Warsi’s career success: Birthday flowers

4 min readNew DelhiJul 19, 2026 09:00 PM Former VJ and Arshad Warsi’s wife, Maria Goretti, recently opened up about stepping away from fame to be a mother. She also admitted that while she sometimes misses the financial independence and appreciation that came with her work, she has no regrets about choosing motherhood.
The couple got married on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1999, after dating for 8 years. Speaking about her journey on The Aditi Govitrikar Show, Maria said she often misses the money she earned during her stint as an MTV VJ, but felt fulfilled the recognition she received at the time.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. 
Maria Goretti on choosing motherhood
“I miss making money. Let me put that very honestly. It’s like the kind of money I commanded at one point in time. I took a different route… but I also feel that when I worked and when I was an MTV VJ, there was so much appreciation and I got so much that I was actually satiated,” she said.
She recalled consciously choosing to stay home after becoming a mother. “When I had the kids, I wanted to sit. Today, when I am at home and I’m knocking on teenage doors, I sometimes feel: why am I at home for this? But no, the fact of the matter is that I had a great time,” she laughed.
Maria also spoke about discovering a different side of her personality after leaving television. Despite being known as a confident presenter, she realised she struggled to socialise without the structure of her professional role.
“I realised I became very brave when I had a camera next to me, and I was far more friendly and open because I think it came with the job,” she said, adding, “If I have to do an interview, I will make friends with everyone here… But I realised without that I couldn’t make friends and I was actually quite an introvert.”Story continues below this ad
Arshad Warsi’s tumultuous career
Reflecting on her husband Arshad Warsi’s career, Maria shared that living through both success and difficult professional phases gave the couple a realic perspective on fame. She recalled how the family’s perception of success would sometimes be reflected in the number of bouquets arriving on the actor’s birthday.
“The gauge was how many flowers were coming in for his birthday. So some years there would be so many that there would be no place in the house, and then there’d be none,” she said.
She also remembered seeing the actor’s struggling days, despite once enjoying immense popularity. “He was really, really popular and he went to the time when he was just not getting the kind of work that he wanted and I kept telling him don’t do stuff that you don’t like to do because that’s gonna really break your heart.”
“Those were really tough years but what I also remember of those years is that it never made him a bitter person. He holds no grudges. I learnt a lot from watching Arshad,” she said.Story continues below this ad
Having experienced both highs and lows, she reflected on how the couple remains grounded during successful phases. “We have seen the lowest of the lows so when you know that is possible, what are you gloating about!” Maria said.

Self-worth after becoming parents
Dr Rimpa Sarkar, PhD, Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, said Maria’s experience reflects a common psychological transition many parents, especially mothers, go through after stepping away from their careers for caregiving.
“Many parents, particularly mothers, devote years to caregiving during a phase when their children need them the most. During that time, their identity may gradually become centred around being a parent rather than an individual with personal aspirations, interests, or a professional identity,” Dr Rimpa said.
She explained that as children become more independent, parents often begin questioning their sense of self beyond caregiving. “Rebuilding that sense of self reconnecting with work, hobbies, friendships, or personal goals is a healthy and natural part of this life stage,” she added.Story continues below this ad
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.