Where is Ram Teri Ganga Maili star Mandakini? She was once linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, quit acting, married a monk, she is now..

Today, we will discuss one actress who was once one of the biggest stars in the industry but then suddenly vanished from the films. She is...

There are some actors who rise to stardom and become household names with their talent, beauty and charm. They appear in hit films, dominate the headlines and enjoy massive fame. However, as quickly as they emerge, many of these rising stars suddenly vanish from the limelight after a string of controversies and scandals that cause their careers to derail. Today, we will discuss one such actress who was once one of the biggest stars in the industry but then suddenly vanished from the films. She is Mandakini.

The actress and her debut in the industry

Mandakini was born as Yasmeen Joseph to a British father and a Kashmiri mother in Meerut. At the tender age of 16, she was discovered by filmmaker Raj Kapoor. Mandakini’s rise to stardom can largely be credited to Raj Kapoor, who launched her in his 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili. In the movie, Mandakini’s bold character and striking presence made the film a massive hit and made her a star. Later, she was seen in movies with massive stars, including Dance Dance with Mithun Chakraborty, Kahan Hai Kanoon with Aditya Pancholi and Pyaar Karke Dekho with Govinda. However, her career began to stall and the reason behind this downturn is often linked to a controversial rumour that changed the course of her career.

The actress and her association with the underworld

At the height of her fame, Mandakini was rumoured to have connections with an underworld don. Later, a photograph of her with the don was leaked, which sparked a nationwide controversy. While the actor has consistently denied any such ties to the underworld, the rumour changed her reputation, and directors became hesitant to cast her. In Former Delhi Police Commissioner, Neeraj Kumar’s Dial D For Don, he mentioned that the don had asked film producers to cast Mandakini in movies, which led to her being blacklisted by many in the industry.

The actress stepped away from the limelight

In the 1990s, Mandakini married Dr. Kagyur T. Rinpoche Thakur, a former Buddhist Monk, and embraced Buddhism. After her last film, Zordaar (1996), Mandakini chose to step away from the limelight, and now runs Tibetan yoga classes, while her husband runs a Tibetan Herbal Centre. The duo have a son named Rabbil and a daughter Rabze Innaya.

The actress’ upcoming project

In 2022, the actor made a comeback to showbiz with the music video Maa O Maa. Mandakini’s son, Rabbil Thakur, also featured in the video, which was directed by Sajan Agarwal. The song was composed by Babli Haque and Meera, and sung by Rishabh Giri. Earlier, she had also mentioned in an interview that she was working on a new film, although she did not reveal any further details.