Former actor Mamta Kulkarni, who recently took sanyas and joined the Kinnar Akhara during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, addressed several aspects of her “controversial” past in a candid interview on Aap Ki Adalat. The actress, known for her bold roles and iconic songs in the 90s, spoke openly about her semi-nude photoshoot for Stardust magazine and her famous item number in the film Ghatak.
Mamta reflected on her 1990s Stardust magazine cover, where she posed in a manner that sparked controversy. At the time, she was in the ninth standard and didn’t view the shoot as obscene. “I was shown a picture of Demi Moore by the Stardust people, which I did not find to be obscene,” she explained. “I was still a virgin and I said that at the time, which people couldn’t digest. They thought that to enter Bollywood, one had to do anything. But that wasn’t the case with me. My father was a transport commissioner for 35 years, and I didn’t know anything about sex or nudity. If you’re not sexually conscious, you won’t relate nudity to obscenity.”
She also addressed her involvement in bold item numbers, explaining that dancers like herself didn’t focus on the lyrics of songs. “As a dancer, I didn’t pay attention to the lyrics,” she said, referring to her famous performances in songs with bold lines. “We only focused on our dance steps,” she added.
Mamta also spoke about her iconic item song Koi Jaye To Le Aaye from Ghatak, starring Sunny Deol. She revealed that she had just returned from a world tour with Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan when director Raj Kumar Santoshi requested her for the song. “The film had been lying canned for seven years because of Meenakshi Seshadri’s marriage and it wasn’t finding buyers,” she said. “I did the dance number as if I was performing in a stage show.”
However, her recent spiritual journey took a dramatic turn when the Kinnar Akhara, which had appointed her as Mahamandaleshwar, removed her from the position just days after her appointment. Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of the Kinnar Akhada, cited growing tensions within the religious organization as the reason behind the decision.
Mamta Kulkarni’s journey from Bollywood fame to spiritual renunciation has sparked significant interest, and her reflections on her past and recent choices continue to make headlines.