Why Katrina Kaif’s mother lives without electricity in rural Tamil Nadu

While Bollywood star Katrina Kaif enjoys a life of glamour and global success, her mother Suzanne Turquotte has chosen an entirely different path. Since relocating from London to rural Tamil Nadu in 2008, Suzanne has dedicated nearly two decades to transforming underprivileged communities. Living near Madurai with limited electricity and no luxury, she runs Relief Projects India and Mountain View School, which educates over 300 students.

Why Katrina Kaif’s mother lives in rural India

Life in the village comes with substantial hardship, including searing summer heat and daily 12-hour power cuts. Reflecting on her mother's journey, Katrina previously explained: “My mom stays in Madurai where she has started a school for children. She is a teacher. She teaches there and she is happy. It is because of her charities and blessings that I have reached these heights.” Katrina noted that infrastructural limits often hinder regular communication: “It is not easy to live there. They don’t have access to electricity. It is available for 12 hours. Sometimes, when I want to FaceTime my mother, I cannot, because there is no electricity or sometimes even internet. So we have a normal call.”

Suzanne, who raised Katrina and her seven siblings as a single mother following her separation from Mohammed Kaif, has long embraced grassroots charity. Katrina recalled: “We didn’t grow up in a life of privilege or luxury. We had a very frugal and basic childhood. That’s the life I come from. It is something I have always been exposed to because my mom has done charity work.”

To champion the initiative, Katrina regularly donates earnings from films and shows to the foundation, which now spans 25 villages providing healthcare, training and cancer screening programmes. Praising her mother’s resilience, Katrina admitted: “She lives in this condition and she has always done because she enjoys helping people. It’s a tough life. It takes a different kind of person. I don’t know if I could do that.” Today, Suzanne continues her quiet mission, proving that purpose easily triumphs over privilege.

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