Veteran actor Mandakini not only made heads turn during her prime but continues to do so even today. Known for her timeless beauty and charming on-screen presence, the actress has been loved by fans for her memorable performances. However, it was not just her professional life that made headlines; her personal life was also often in the spotlight. One of the most infamous instances that made her the talk of the town was a photograph of her with notorious gangster Dawood Ibrahim in the early 1990s. Now, three decades later, the actress has revealed how the controversy impacted her and her life.
Mandakini opens up about Dawood Ibrahim’s controversy
Mandakini revealed how that one photo with Dawood Ibrahim became the subject of controversy and a widespread of speculation floated that whether the two are dating.
In an interview with ANI, she said, “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).”
‘Did a lot of damage’: Mandakini on viral photo with Dawood
She revealed that photo became the talk of the town and it did a lot of damage. She said, “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.”
Who is Mandakini
Mandakini shot to fame with her debut film Ram Teri Ganga Maili, in which she played the lead role. Directed by Raj Kapoor, the film became a major success and catapulted Mandakini to stardom, establishing her as one of the prominent actresses of Hindi cinema in the 1980s.