Former Bollywood star and now Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhara Mamta Kulkarni has ruled out her return to film industry, saying “like milk that turns into ghee cannot return to its original shape, I shall never return to films”.
She was replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in ‘Aap Ki Adalat’.
Kulkarni denied allegations that she paid a hefty sum of Rs 10 crore to the head of Kinnar Akhar to become Mahamandaleshwar. “Forget Rs 10 crore, I do not have even Rs 1 crore with me. My bank accounts are frozen. I had to borrow Rs 2 lakhs from somebody to offer as dakshina to my guru when I was made Mahamandaleshwar”, she said.
The former film star said, “Three of my apartments are lying in disrepair, infested with termites, because they have not been opened for last 23 years. I cannot describe the financial crisis I am going through.”
Kulkarni said: “The CBI official who deliberately added my name to the case wanted to become Commissioner, but he was removed from his position in a humiliating manner later. The High Court dismissed the case.”
The actor who has worked in big-time hits like Karan Arjun, Krantiveer, Tiranga, Sabse Bada Khiladi, described several interesting anecdotes about her co-stars like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar.
Mamta Kulkarni revealed an anecdote when both SRK and Salman Khan, during the shooting of Karan Arjun, played pranks with her during a dance sequence. “Originally, the two were supposed to dance with me, but on the preceding night, Masterji (dance master) told me that only I have to dance. In front of three cameras, I completed my dance in a single take, and then I saw, both SRK and Salman, sitting behind the bushes laughing. In the next shot, both of them were made to walk on their knees, and there were 25 retakes in front of a crowd of 5,000 people.”
When Rajat Sharma asked whom he considered more prankish, SRK or Salman, the former film star replied: “Zyada Sharaarati Salman Tha”.
Asked why despite being a top star, she was made to do an item number in the film “Ghatak”, Mamta Kulkarni replied: “The director Raj Kumar Santoshi requested me to do it. The movie was lying canned for seven years because of its heroine Meenakshi Seshadri. I went through my dance number as if I was doing a stage show, in which I was good at.”
While ruling out her return to filmdon, Mamta Kulkarni said: “Now I am a sannyasin full time. Like milk that has been turned into ghee, it cannot get back its original shape, I have also decided not to return to films. I have lived like a tapaswini (sanyasin) for 23 years.”
Kulkarni said: “Even now, on Instagram, my fans tell me they want me to see in a sequel of Karan Arjun, but I have made up my mind not to return to films. Ab Lautne Ka Sawaal Nahin Uthata (No question of returning).”
Asked why she had once posed sem-nude for the cover of Stardust magazine, Mamta Kulkarni replied: “I was then studying in ninth standard. I was shown a picture of Demi Moore by the Stardust people which I did not find it to be obscene. I had also once said at one time “I am still a virgin”. Since I did not know anything about sex, I didn’t know anything about nudity. In the last 23 years, I have not seen any pornography.”
Asked why she used to dance to bawdy lyrics in films, Mamta Kulkarni replied: “Like Madhuri Dixit, we as dancers do not go through lyrics or lines. Our sole focus is on our dance steps. ”
In “Aap Ki Adalat” show, Mamata Kulkarni, dressed in saffron robe, sat cross-legged on the chair inside the dock and replied to questions. At several points, she recited Sanskrit shlokas from Rig Veda and other shastras.
On Yoga guru Swami Ramdev saying that anybody can become a Mahamandaleshwar by offering money, Kulkarni replied: “I leave this to Ramdev Baba. What should I say?”
On Bageshwar Dham baba Dhirendra Saraswati criticizing her, Kulkarni said, “He is a nappy Dhirendra Shastri. I have performed penance for 23 years, which is more than his age….I did not want to become Mahamandaleshwar, but it was the Acharya of Kinnar Akhara, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi who compelled me to become one. Main Toh Taiyar Nahin Thi Banne Ko.”
Mamta Kulkarni claimed: “For three months at a stretch, I used to perform meditation. For five days at a stretch, I did not even drink water. On the 15th day, Maa Bhagwati appeared before me.”
