Veteran actress Mandakini has set the record straight, clarifying that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim did not invite her, addressing a controversial photograph of the two available in internet archives. She explained that she had gone to Dubai for a show and later attended a cricket match, where the picture was clicked. Recently, she opened up about having no say in the subsequent reports and speculation, adding that the entire episode took a toll on her film career.
Mandakini clarifies the truth behind the viral photo
In an interview with ANI, Mandakini shared that her presence in Dubai was tied to a professional engagement, during which she happened to attend the cricket match. She pointed out that the event was attended by many people, and as an artist, it wasn’t her place to pick and choose who she interacted with based on their background. “Jo bhi log likhna chahe, jo bhi bolna chahe, we don’t have control over it. Ek artist ko hazaron log milte hain aur hum sabke liye barabar hai. Bahut saare log saath mein the…kiske liye choose karein, kiske liye choose na karein… Hum waha kisi show ke liye gaye the. No, I was not invited by Dawood. (Whatever people want to write or say, we don’t have control over it. An artist has to meet many people, and we are equal to everyone. There were so many people with us; whom do we choose, and whom do we not? I was in Dubai for a show and then went for the match. I was not invited by Dawood. I didn’t realise it at the moment)”, she said.
Mandakini on how the controversy affected her career
The actress said she hadn’t grasped the photograph’s impact back then, but once it emerged, it triggered a wave of reports and speculation. According to Mandakini, the controversy took a toll on her career, and she later realised how important it is to have a team handling such matters. “The controversy did a lot of damage. Later, I came to know that one should have a team to take care of all these things. I denied the rumours everywhere,” she added.
Mandakini’s journey in Bollywood
Mandakini began her Bollywood journey with Raj Kapoor‘s 1985 hit ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’, co-starring Rajiv Kapoor. The film was a massive box-office hit and catapulted her to overnight stardom, while her role and the film’s bold scenes made her one of the decade’s most discussed actresses. She went on to feature in movies like ‘Jeeva’, ‘Dance Dance’, ‘Pyaar Karke Dekho’, ‘Commando’, ‘Jeete Hain Shaan Se’ and ‘Kahan Hai Kanoon’, working alongside stars such as Mithun Chakraborty, Govinda and Aditya Pancholi. She wrapped up her mainstream film career with ‘Zordaar’ in 1996, after which she moved away from the industry.
