'Was thrown out of films...': Mahima Chaudhry recalls career setbacks
What's the story
Actor Mahima Chaudhry has had a tumultuous journey in Bollywood, with several personal and professional challenges. In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, she opened up about the lesser-known struggles that shaped her career. From being taken to court over contractual misunderstandings related to her debut film to suffering severe injuries in a car accident on the sets of Dil Kya Kare (1999), Chaudhry spoke about it all.
Professional struggles
'I was taken to court, thrown out of films'
Chaudhry revealed that after her debut film, Pardes, she was embroiled in legal disputes and removed from several projects. "A lot of them. After my first film, I was taken to court, and I was thrown out of so many films because it was said that she is under contract with Mukta, which wasn't true." "I had my accident, then I sat at home for a year."
Career choices
'I want to do more things...'
Despite the challenges, Chaudhry was determined to prove her mettle in Bollywood. She refused to be typecast as a "lucky mascot" and instead sought meaningful work. "I started doing bit appearances, all those films became a hit even when I was doing just a song." "People then started offering me just a single song, and I said no to them."
Life-altering incident
Chaudhry's near-fatal accident and its aftermath
Chaudhry also recalled the horrific car accident that left her with serious facial injuries. "There were 67 tiny glass pieces, then they were scraped out under the microscope. The next day, the face is more swollen and out of shape." "At that time, I didn't know what I was going to do in life, it was difficult. I couldn't go out in sunlight...you have to wait for the stitches, then they heal, so you have to keep it moist."
Recovery process
'Sunlight and UV rays can cause scarring'
The actor revealed that the film's costume team had to conceal her injuries while she completed pending work creatively. "My costume designer had to put diamond dots on the scars, especially the left side, which was more swollen." "Sunlight and UV rays can cause scarring. I completed pending 1-2 songs in between, but couldn't give full-fledged rights to anyone to go anywhere outdoors and work."
Career update
Chaudhry's upcoming film and recent projects
Chaudhry is currently busy promoting her upcoming romantic comedy Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shadi, opposite Sanjay Mishra. The film is set to release in theaters on December 19. She was last seen in Nadaaniyan, co-starring Khushi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan.