They came, they saw, they conquered and suddenly vanished. These actresses were launched opposite superstars in films that were helmed by top directors and produced by big banners. Films that made them household names and earned them an instant star tag. However, they're nothing more than one film wonders today, as they either fizzled out or voluntarily vanished from the big screen. Read on to know more about the journeys of these 8 actresses who had promising starts but soon disappeared from showbiz.
Anu Aggarwal
Sex symbol, monk, yogi – that’s how this dusky beauty explains her journey today. She'd led a bohemian lifestyle before stardom hit her overnight with Mahesh Bhatt’s Aashiqui back in 1990. Post the success of Aashiqui she did a couple of films but soon disappeared. In 1999, she met with a near-death accident that pushed her in coma. After recovery she decided to become a recluse and sought refuge in yoga and spirituality. Last month, this long forgotten actress launched her book Anusual: Memoir of a Girl Who Came Back from the Dead. Anu's journey from being a model to an actress to someone who now leads a simple life, has impressed the readers who’ve read the book, we hear.
Mamta Kulkarni
She was the Mallika Sherawat of the ‘90s - controversy’s favourite child! From scandalous quotes to shocking magazine covers, she'd done it all. Mamta Kulkarni was one sex symbol Bollywood couldn’t get enough of. After having lived a controversial life, Mamta chose to transform herself into a yogini. However last year, she and her husband were arrested in Kenya in a joint operation between Drug Enforcement Agency and the Mombasa Police. Well, looks like controversies continue to follow this once upon a time sex symbol wherever she goes.
Mahima Chaudhary
Directed by Subhash Ghai and romanced by Shah Rukh Khan, Mahima Chaudhary’s grand debut, Pardes impressed them all. And everyone thought that just like the Showman’s other protégés, this girl too will have a long run at the movies. Mahima, however starred in a string of flops later and when nothing worked she even shed some inhibitions and clothes and starred in B Grade flicks like Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana, Souten and Filmstar. In 2006 she got married to Bobby Mukherjee in a hush hush ceremony but in less than 5 years, their marriage had hit a rocky patch and the couple separated. Earlier this year, there were reports that she holds a Swiss account where all the black money she makes from sources unknown is stashed.
Meenakshi Sheshadhari
From Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff to Sunny Deol, she worked with all the top actors back then. She is best known for her National Award winning performance in Damini. But after a few years at the top, she chose marriage and kids over a successful Bollywood career. Meenakshi got married to Harish Mysore and moved to the U.S. Last month Rishi Kapoor posted a picture with her and it was hard to recognise the actress who’s fitter then ever now. He later also tweeted her whereabouts – “Damini, MS, lives happily with hubby Harish Mysore and 2 kids, girl and a boy in Dallas, U.S. Visiting relatives, can work in film if a good role.”
Not so long ago, there were reports of her doing a cameo in Ghayal Returns.
Bhagayshree
She was the ultimate Sooraj Barjatya heroine. She won hearts nationwide by playing the demure Suman opposite Salman Khan in the 90s blockbuster, Maine Pyaar Kiya. Bhagayshree, however fizzled out in no time. At the peak of her career she got married to Himalaya Dasan and insisted that she'll only star opposite him. Producers back then also obliged to her demands. But all their films bombed at the box-office and Bhagayshree soon bid adieu to the arch lights.
Bhumika Chawla
Yet another actress who had a blockbuster debut opposite Salman Khan. Tere Naam was one of the biggest hits of 2003 and Bhumika Chawla became a household name in no time. The actress did a couple of Bollywood films but couldn’t recreate the same magic she entered with and hence she moved to Tollywood. The actress has now set base in the South Indian film industry.
Gracy Singh
She had the Oscar nominated Lagaan as her debut film opposite superstar Aamir Khan. After missing from action for a while, Gracy later starred in Rajkumar Hirani’s Munnabhai MBBS that added another blockbuster to her kitty. But post Munnabhai her career went downwards. She did innumerable forgettable films like Shart, Wajaah, Yeh Hai Zindagi etc. and the last time we saw her was in Kamal R Khan’s Deshdrodhi, a film with which she lost the little number of fans she had.
Mandakini
The credit of making waterfalls look sexy goes to this actress. Mandakini baring her assests under a waterfall in a white saree in Raj Kapoor’s Ram Teri Ganga Malli is a moment that has went down the history of Indian cinema. She tasted overnight success but didn’t have successful films to sustain a long run. But more than her films, Mandakini was more in news for her link up with Mumbai’s underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim. People believed that she was his mistress and had shifted to Dubai for him. She later married Buddhist monk and doctor, Kagyur Tinkur Rinpoche and now is mother of two teenagers.
Next Story