Meenakshi Seshadri recalls the challenges faced during the filming of the all-time classic, women-centric film ‘Damini’ after facing a major controversy. Known for her pathbreaking roles in Bollywood, Meenakshi starred in this iconic film directed by National Award-winning director Rajkumar Santoshi, which remains a cult favorite among Bollywood lovers.
Meenakshi Seshadri’s undeniable beauty and onscreen presence were admired by many, one such admirer of her was filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi and there have been rumours about Santoshi proposing marriage to Meenakshi. Leading to the replacement by another actor for their next film, ‘Damini’, due to widespread controversy.
In an exclusive interview with Lehren Retro, the ‘Ghatak’ actress said, “Yes, yeh sach baat hain. Jab ‘Damini’ ki jo bhi controversy hui, jis wajah se unko (Rajkumar Santoshi) laga ki mere saath film complete nahi kar payenge, kisi aur heroine ko liya jaye (Yes, this is true. When ‘Damini’ faced controversy, he felt that he would not be able to complete the film with me, so some other heroine should be chosen.)”
Further, Meenakshi Seshadri recalls how a controversy almost caused her to back out of the film. She explains how the situation was resolved with the help of the film’s producer, counselors and senior artists, allowing the shoot for ‘Damini’ to be completed successfully. The actress added, “Sab log ne mil-jhulke sabko manaya, fir uss din hum sab ne ek pran liya ki aayinda hum iss controversy ke baare mein baat nahi karenge. (Everyone got together and convinced everyone, then that day we all took a vow that in future we would not talk about this controversy.)”
When asked if Meenakshi Seshadri would work with Rajkumar Santoshi again if he offered her a film today and whether there would be any awkwardness, she responded, “If I have a good…” Find out more details in the interview below.
Despite the controversy, Damini made a significant impact with its unconventional storyline, addressing the sensitive issue of women’s assault with great care. At the time, its narrative broke societal taboos and became one of Bollywood’s best woman-centric films till date. In which, Meenakshi Seshadri delivered a career-best performance and Rajkumar Santoshi’s exceptional storytelling was widely acclaimed. The film also starred other superstars such as Sunny Deol, Rishi Kapoor, Amrish Puri and Aamir Khan, who made a surprising cameo appearance.
