Mandakini

Some Lesser Known Facts About Mandakini

• Mandakini is an Indian actor and spiritual guide. She came into the limelight with her debut Hindi film ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’ (1985).

• She started her career as a model and worked in various photoshoots.

  

• She then worked as a model in many print advertisements.

  

• In 1985, she signed the contract for the Hindi film ‘Mazloom,’ but the film got delayed. The producer of the film wanted to change her name to Madhuri.

• She then made her Bollywood debut with Raj Kapoor’s film ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’ (1985). The legendary Indian actor-director Raj Kapoor changed her name from Yasmeen/Yasmin to Mandakini. She gained immense fame with her debut film. She was also nominated by Filmfare in the Best Actress category.

• She got rejected from the audition round of the Hindi films ‘Betaab’ (1981) and ‘Lava’ (1983).

• In 1986, the Indian musician Bappi Lahiri signed her to sing all the songs of his music album ‘Dancing City.’ Earlier, the songs were recorded by the Indian singer Nazia, but after a fight between Bappi Lahiri and Nazia, Bappi replaced her with Mandakini.

  

• Mandakini has also worked in Telugu and Bengali films such as ‘Bhargava Ramudu’ (Telugu; 1987) and ‘Antarer Bhalobasha’ (Bengali; 1991).

  

• She then acted in various Hindi films including ‘Aag Aur Shola’ (1986), ‘Pyaar Karke Dekho’ (1987), ‘Pyaar Mohabbat’ (1988), ‘Hisaab Khoon Ka’ (1989), and ‘Taqdeer Ka Tamasha’ (1990).

  

• In 1990, Mandakini, along with her secretary Ajit Dewan and actor Aditya Pancholi, started a film production house ‘A.M.A Productions’ (name derived from their initials). Later, after a tiff between the partners, Mandakini left the production house.

• In 1995, she received huge criticism for having a rumoured relationship with the Indian gangster Dawood Ibrahim. A photo of her with Dawood from a cricket stadium in Dubai went viral in media. Soon, the Indian producers stopped signing her for films because of her negative image in public. In 1996, she acted in the Hindi film ‘Zordaar,’ and after this film, she quit the Hindi film industry. In an interview, in 2005, while talking about Dawood, she said,
  

  How long will my name continue to be associated with Dawood? I have said earlier also that I have never had an affair with Dawood. 10 years ago my photo came with Dawood, then I used to go abroad often for shows.When I was performing in Dubai, then Dawood came and we met. I was like other filmmakers. There was no such thing as an affair between us. A photograph published in the newspaper in the year 1994-95 affected my career. It was said that I have married Dawood and I have a child with him. While I am married to a Mumbai based doctor, R Thakur and I have a child with him. We got married in the year 1990.”

  

• After quitting the films, she got involved in various spiritual activities. In an interview, while talking about it, she said,
  

  I was initiated into Tibetan yoga years ago when I was seeking solace from the rigours of the film industry. My teacher was my husband, who is deeply into spirituality.”

  

• Her husband, Dr Kagyur T. Rinpoche Thakur, was featured as a Murphy radio kid in his childhood.

  

• After 26 years, Mandakini made a comeback to the Hindi entertainment industry with the Hindi music video “Maa O Maa” (2022). During an interview, while talking about her comeback in the Hindi entertainment industry, her brother Bhanu said,
  

  When she would visit Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata, I could see that she still has a huge fan following. So, I told her that she must start acting again. She was offered the central role in a serial called Chhoti Sardani, which Mandakini refused but she suggested Anita Raaj’s name for the role instead.”

  

• The character of the Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha in the Hindi film ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara!’ (2013) was based on the life of Mandakini.

• She is a dog lover and owns a pet dog named Simba.

  

• Mandakini has won various awards for her acting skills including Golden Jubliee Awards.

  

• Her paternal grandfather was a millionaire and was involved in installing underwater telephone cable wires for the first time in England.

• She has been featured on the cover of various Indian magazines.

  

‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’ (1985)