# Mamta Kulkarni

Mamta Kulkarni (born 20 April 1972) is an Indian former actress and model turned Hindu monk known for her work in Hindi cinema. One of the most successful actresses of her time, she has appeared in several commercially successful Hindi films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Krantiveer (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Andolan (1995), Baazi (1996), China Gate (1998) and Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller (2001). Her performance in Aashiq Awara (1993) won her the 1994 Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year. She quit the film industry after her appearance in the film Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum.
After a long controversial life and disappearance of more than 20 years, Mamta announced her sanyas and became Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar akhara during 2025 Prayagraj Mahakumbh in presence of Acharaya Mahamandaleshvar of the same akhara, Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi. She performed all the rituals including Pindadanam, Pattabhishekam, etc., after which she adopted the new name Yamai Mamta Nand Giri.
Later on 31 January 2025, Rishi Ajai Das, founder of Kinnar Akhara expelled Mamta from akhara with Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and also removed both from the post of Mahamandaleshwar citing connection of Mamta with underworld and Dawood Ibrahim.

## Early & personal life

Kulkarni was born on April 20, 1972, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, into a middle-class Marathi Brahmin family. Her father, Mukund Kulkarni, was a former transport commissioner of Mumbai. She has two sisters. She was educated at St. Joseph's High School in Juhu. She actively participated in school plays and in cultural programs.
Kulkarni was in a relationship with Vicky Goswami until 2016.
She was given a name "Shri Yamai Mamta Nand Giri" when she was made Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhada.)

## Career

Kulkarni made her film debut with the 1992 film Tirangaa. In 1993, she starred in Aashiq Awara, which won her a Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year. She went on to appear in many popular films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Krantiveer (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995) and Baazi (1995). She mostly played the leading actor's love interest in all these films.
Things changed when Rajkumar Santoshi, in whose earlier movie Ghatak: Lethal (1996) she had a cameo appearance in a song, cast her as the female lead in his 1998 film China Gate, an ambitious remake of Seven Samurai. However, things did not go as planned. Relations between Santoshi and the actress soured. Rumours began circulating that Kulkarni had been dropped from the movie, and was reinstated only after gangster Chhota Rajan intervened on her behalf. When the movie was finally released, it was an average earner. Furthermore, the only song in the movie, the item number "Chamma Chamma", was picturised on Urmila Matondkar, even though Kulkarni had built her reputation with such numbers. To add insult to injury, the song turned out to be a chartbuster, which greatly increased Matondkar's popularity.
Angered and frustrated at the turn of events, Kulkarni lashed out at Santoshi, accusing him of cutting her screen time because she had refused his advances. Santoshi denied all rumours related to the movie, and the matter was given a quiet burial. However, this proved to be the death blow to Kulkarni's career. She only appeared in a handful of movies after that, and new offers dried up. Her last successful film was Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller (2001). She quit movies after the 2002 film Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum. She also did a few movies in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Malayalam.

## Controversy

In June 2016, the Thane Police named Kulkarni as one of the accused involved in supplying ephedrine for illicit manufacture of methamphetamine to a ₹2000 crore international drug racket and gangster, intended for trafficking. It is alleged that Kulkarni along with her partner Vicky Goswami and other co-accused attended a meeting in an international drug ring in Kenya in January 2016.
In August 2024, the Bombay High Court quashed the 2016 drug case against former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, deeming the proceedings "manifestly frivolous and vexatious." The court concluded that the evidence was insufficient to sustain charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, noting that Kulkarni's mere presence at a meeting did not warrant prosecution. The judges emphasized that continuing the case would constitute an abuse of the judicial process.

## Life as a Monk

In January 2025, Mamta Kulkarni was appointed Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. During the ceremony, she performed the Pind Daan ritual at the Triveni Sangam and was given the spiritual name "Shree Yamai Mamta Nand Giri".
However, Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of Kinnar Akhada, expelled both Mamta Kulkarni and her appointer Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi from the Akhada during the Mela following massive outrage against this move. Das accused Tripathi and others of committing an unconstitutional act and violating the principles of Sanatana Dharma by appointing Kulkarni, citing her alleged involvement in treason and link with D-Company.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Language | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | Nanbargal | Tamil | Priya | Debut Film |
| 1992 | Mera Dil Tere Liye | Hindi | Priya R. Singh | |
| 1992 | Tirangaa | Hindi | Sandhya | |
| 1992 | Premasikharam | Telugu | Preeti | |
| 1992 | Donga Police | Telugu | Gowri | |
| 1993 | Bhookamp | Hindi | Kavita Anand | |
| 1993 | Waqt Hamara Hai | Hindi | Mamta Vidrohi | |
| 1993 | Ashaant | Hindi | Sonali | Bilingual film |
| 1993 | Vishnu Vijaya | Kannada | Sonali | Bilingual film |
| 1993 | Aashiq Awara | Hindi | Jyoti | Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year |
| 1994 | Anokha Premyudh | Hindi | Priti | |
| 1994 | Betaaj Badshah | Hindi | Tejeshwani / Gudiya | |
| 1994 | Gangster | Hindi | — | |
| 1994 | Dilbar | Hindi | Priya Verma | |
| 1994 | Krantiveer | Hindi | Mamta | |
| 1994 | Vaade Iraade | Hindi | Nikita Sekhri | |
| 1995 | Karan Arjun | Hindi | Bindiya | |
| 1995 | Andolan | Hindi | Guddi | |
| 1995 | Baazi | Hindi | Journalist Sanjana Roy | |
| 1995 | Policewala Gunda | Hindi | Sudha's sister | |
| 1995 | Sabse Bada Khiladi | Hindi | Sunita Das | |
| 1995 | Kismat | Hindi | Madhu | |
| 1995 | Ahankaar | Hindi | Naina | |
| 1995 | Bhagya Debata | Bengali | | Special appearance |
| 1996 | Raja Aur Rangeeli | Hindi | | |
| 1996 | Beqabu | Hindi | Reshmi Kapoor | |
| 1996 | Ghatak: Lethal | Hindi | Dancer | (in song "Maara Re"), item number "Koi Jaaye To" |
| 1997 | Jeevan Yudh | Hindi | Kajal Choudhry | |
| 1997 | Krantikari | Hindi | Dancer | |
| 1997 | Naseeb | Hindi | Pooja | |
| 1998 | Jaane Jigar | Hindi | Meena and Meenu | (Double Role) |
| 1998 | Qila | Hindi | Neeta | |
| 1998 | China Gate | Hindi | Sandhya | |
| 1999 | Chandamama | Malayalam | | Special appearance in the song "Rojaappoo Kavilathu" |
| 2001 | Bangshadhar | Hindi | | |
| 2001 | Censor | Hindi | Nisha | |
| 2001 | Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller | Hindi | Sandhya | |
| 2002 | Divine Temple Khajuraho | Hindi | | |
| 2002 | Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum | Hindi | Sumona | |
| 2003 | Shesh Bongsodhar | Bengali | Antara | Bangladeshi Film |