Mandakini, one of the leading actors of the 1980s, has several memorable roles to her credit. The Ram Teri Ganga Maili star recently opened up about her early years in the film industry and recalled what the atmosphere on film sets was like back then. According to ANI, Mandakini spoke about not being paid for certain films, explaining that the industry was much more informal and close-knit at the time. She liked working with her colleagues. “I enjoyed the movies a lot. They were all very nice. They were all very cooperative. And it was a fun atmosphere and very homely,” Mandakini recalled.
Somehow, this informality also found its way into the professional side of the industry. This extended to how films were signed and payments were handled at the time. Mandakini said contracts were often far less complicated, with people sometimes simply asking an actor to sign a film, while settling payment arrangements later. “People used to say, come on, sign the film. And after that, sometimes you get a payment, sometimes you don't. That too used to happen,” Mandakini stated.
When filmmakers or colleagues approached her for a limited number of days, Mandakini said she would often agree to help out. “They used to request you to do a 15-day work, and I used to say, ‘Okay, no problem',” Mandakini said when asked if she had ever acted for free.
However, she clarified that while she eventually received payment for most of her work, there were several films for which she never received any money. “I used to get paid, ultimately, but there were 16 to 17 movies which I never got paid for,” she said.
Explaining how this happened, the actor noted that some films remained incomplete or never made it to screens, while in other cases she did not receive the final payment owed to her.
Mandakini was one of the most recognisable stars of the 1980s, rising to fame with Raj Kapoor's acclaimed film Ram Teri Ganga Maili. She went on to be known for her performances in films like Dance Dance, Ladaai, Kahan Hai Kanoon, Naag Naagin, Pyaar Ke Naam Qurbaan and Pyaar Karke Dekho, among others. The actor stepped away from showbiz in 1996 and later returned to the screen with the 2022 music video Maa O Maa, in which she appeared alongside her son, Rabbil Thakur.
