Mallika Sherawat is back in the game and how. The Murder actor has made her comeback with Rajkummar Rao and Tripti Dimri’s recent release, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, post which her unfiltered interviews are making headlines everywhere. However, a big question mark regarding her absence from the film industry still remains. The actor was questioned about it during her appearance on Bigg Boss 18, but didn’t provide a solid reply. We dug deeper into her whereabouts all these years. Read on to know the details.
Expanding Horizons and Moving Beyond Bollywood
Mallika made her Bollywood debut with Jeena Sirf Merre Liye in 2002, and just 2 years later, she bagged a film that changed the course of her career – it was Anurag Basu’s Murder. She then went on to star in several films such as Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Shaadi Se Pehle among others and earned name, fame and money.
However, after achieving it all, Mallika decided to step out of her comfort zone and move to Hollywood. “After having worked in Bollywood for 5-7 years, I thought the time was right to explore other horizons and different cultures. Faced with that situation, I told myself, why not. What have I got to lose? I have made enough name for myself in India. I’ve got money. I’ve got fame. Let’s try to go to a new country. And boy was it a good decision! Because America showed me so much love,” she told ETimes in an interview earlier.
During her time in Hollywood, Mallika got an opportunity to meet US President Barack Obama and work with singer Bruno Mars. She also went on to feature in an independent film Politics of Love besides two Chinese films The Myth and Time Raiders.
A look into her life in Los Angeles
In LA, the actor lived a lavish life and often shared glimpses of it on her Instagram. Her serene and grand mansion had a big swimming pool, water well, lush green lawns with patio furniture. The actor was often seen spending time outdoors with her dog Lilly. Inside, the house was all white with blue and white printed armchairs, adding a pop of colours to the otherwise neutral settings.
Here are a few posts that give a sneak-peek into her life:
A string of underwhelming projects
Mallika seemed liked missing from Bollywood, but that’s no true. She kept on travelling between LA and India for work and was seen in several Indian projects – big and small. Though she worked non-stop, no project helped her regain the stardom she achieved after the success of her film ‘Murder’. Post Double Dhamaal, Mallika did an item song in Tamil film Osthe followed by a special appearance in Tezz.
She went on to star in several other films such as Kismat Love Paisa Dilli, Dirty Politics, Zeenat, Rkay,Pambattam, but none brought her the recognition she an actor looks for.
When Industry Pushed Her Away!
During her conversation with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, Mallika revealed the mistreatment by the industry after Murder’s release. Though the actor did not mention it as one of the reasons that pushed her further away from India, it appeared so. “They were very condescending to me on my face. There are a few very big actresses, whose name I won’t take, but they were all condescending to me on my face. They would say, ‘So many sts in Bollywood, one more’. There was a lot of slt-shaming. They wanted me to feel ashamed of myself and the bold scenes I did. In a way, they wanted me to feel ashamed of the success of Murder,“ she told Ranveer.
While it started affecting her professional life, many people took it a step further and started judging her as a person too. “One of the negative things happened to me after all this is that men thought, ‘If she can do such bold scenes on-screen, why will she object to come with us?’ I had to deal with this a lot. People forget that your personal life and professional life are two different things. It was a big hurdle for me and it still is,” she shared adding that the world was not prepared for a film like that. “The culture wasn’t ready for me back then, and it wasn’t ready for Murder either. Only now has Bollywood caught up to where I was in 2004,” she further revealed to Ranveer.
