Saugandh is a 1991 Bollywood film that starred Akshay Kumar and Shanthi Priya. It was one of Akshay Kumar’s earliest films and marked his debut in the Hindi film industry, as well as Shanthi Priya’s debut. In Saugandh, Shanthi played the female lead role opposite Akshay Kumar. The film was directed by Raj Sippy and is known for its action and dramatic elements. Later, she went on to work in popular films like Phool Aur Angaar, Maharsi, Meherbaan, Agni, Andha Intaquam, Mere Sajana Saath Nibhana, and many more. However, she left the glamour world at the peak of her career.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Shanthi Priya candidly discussed the atmosphere on the sets of her debut film, Saugandh. Reflecting on those days, the actress recounted an incident involving Akshay Kumar where he playfully teased her about her complexion during their collaboration. Shanthi shared that on one occasion, Akshay humorously pointed out her knees and asked about their darker shade. Going into further detail, the actress explained that while it was a sensitive topic, Akshay didn’t realize it.
She further concluded that Akshay’s hurtful remarks about her skin colour
made her slip into a shell. She shared that she and her sister, Bhanupriya, encountered considerable prejudice based on complexion in the South Indian film industry. Shanthi added that this struggle persists for her family even today, not only in the 90s.
She shared that everyone on the set had laughed in response. She said, “Initially, they were all laughing and everything was flowing smoothly. Then, I was like, ‘Okay did you really mean it?’ Then I looked at my mom, I quietly went and talked to her, as she used to accompany me. So, I went quietly and then they realised that it was quite serious.”