Sunetra Sastry: The Woman Behind Rowan Atkinson

Sunetra Sastry is a skilled makeup artist best known for her contributions to the British film and television industry, as well as for being the ex-wife of the famous comedian Rowan Atkinson. Despite being related to a famous comedian, she has been private and focused on her career and personal life. This article will look at the life of Sunetra Sastry.

Early Life and Background

Sunetra Sastry was born on September 5, 1957, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Sunetra has an Indian father and an English mother, which makes her ethnicity mixed. Her parents, who came from different races, faced a lot of social opposition to their marriage since such marriages were not common and were even frowned upon.

Having an Indian father and an English mother, Sunetra faced a lot of cultural challenges but managed to overcome them very efficiently. She has always been inclined towards the world of beauty, and she wanted to become a makeup artist.

Education and Career in Makeup Artistry

Despite scepticism from her family, she became a proficient makeup artist for television in the UK after attending a beauty college in London. She gained recognition during the late 1980s after working on the BBC comedy ‘Blackadder’ and meeting Rowan Atkinson during the filming of the show.

She also had the opportunity to work on and help with makeup artistry for other series like:

• “Blackadder II” (1986): a historical sitcom that she did makeup for.
• “Smack and Thistle” (1991): a TV movie where her makeup artistry was required.
• “Mr. Bean Takes an Exam” (1991): one of the most famous Mr. Bean specials.

Marriage to Rowan Atkinson

Between the years 1980 and 1989, during the period of Sunetra Sastry and Rowan Atkinson’s relationship, they progressed into dating and later opted to get married on February 5, 1990. after dating for some time. Like the rest of their personal life, their marriage was also rather private. Rowan and Sunetra have two kids:

• Benjamin Atkinson: Born in 1993, he decided to follow a military career path and was reported to have trained at the British Royal Military Sandhurst Academy.
• Lily Atkinson (now known as Lily Sastry): Born in 1995, Lily is now known as Lily Sastry; she is a professional burlesque dancer, singer, and actress, and has chosen to work within the entertainment industry.

Even with Atkinson’s global popularity, the couple was able to keep their family life private. However, their marriage faced challenges in later years.

Separation and Divorce

Sunetra Sastry and Rowan Atkison got officially divorced in 2015, a year after they separated in 2014. Reports suggest that the primary reason for their split was Atkinson’s relationship with Louise Ford, the comedian he started dating during separation.

The divorce was reportedly tough for Sastry, seeing that he spent years nurturing Atkinson’s career while living outside the public eye. The moment they parted ways, Sastry decided to retreat from the public eye and focus on her health and family.

Life After Divorce

Sunetra Sastry has been decidedly secretive after the divorce and hardly attends any public events, nor does she give interviews. She preferred to not be in the public eye, unlike Atkinson, who enjoyed a successful career in comedy and acting.

With the separation, Lily Sastry, the couple’s daughter, chose her mother’s maiden name and has also stepped out of the limelight of her father’s fame. This move was largely interpreted as supportive of Sunetra after the breakup.

Rowan Atkinson’s Social Media Presence

Sunetra does not seem to have public social media accounts. Rowan Atkinson, her ex-husband, also keeps a low profile when it comes to social media. Even his verified Instagram account (@rowatkinson), which has over 4.1k followers, gets very little activity due to his only having 13 posts.

On the other hand, Mr. Bean has over 10 million followers on Instagram, and his official account (@mrbean) has 1852 posts and regularly uploads classic clips as well as behind-the-scenes and merchandise promos.

He does have an X account (@MrRowanAtkinson), but his activity is minimal. Other Mr. Bean accounts have a lot of followers and post updates often.

Rowan Atkinson has critiqued social media, stating that it is a “monstrous institution” and does not allow freedom of speech. It is glaring why he has such a small presence on the internet. Rather, he focuses on his career and lets his characters live in the limelight. The official Mr. Bean pages or his Instagram are where fans can find updates, but his regular posts are rare.

Final Thoughts

While Rowan Atkinson remains prominent in the public eye, Sunetra Sastry has chosen a different path that affords her privacy and independence. The journey from a young makeup artist in London to the wife of one of Britain’s greatest comedians is in itself a testimony to her individuality and strength.

Post-divorce, Sunetra’s decision to remain private does speak of her character. She proves that one does not need the limelight to make a lasting impact.