Veteran actress Mamta Kulkarni, who starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in the 1995 blockbuster Karan Arjun, recently opened up about her experiences on set. Speaking on Aap Ki Adalat with Rajat Sharma, Mamta recalled an incident where the two superstars allegedly laughed at her and shut the door on her face during the film’s shoot.
What Mamta Kulkarni said
When asked whether she had yelled at Shah Rukh and Salman during the shoot, Mamta denied the claim and instead recounted what actually happened.”No, I didn’t yell at them. Shah Rukh told you this?” she asked, before explaining:”Chinni Prakash was the choreographer of Karan Arjun. Both Shah Rukh and Salman had already gone for the shoot, and I was sitting alone. After almost an hour and a half, Chinni Prakash’s assistant knocked on my door and said, ‘Masterji is calling you.’ When I was climbing up the stairs, both Shah Rukh and Salman passed by me and sniggered. I stayed quiet.”
Mamta went on to reveal that the choreographer gave her a solo step to perform, which surprised her.
The next day, she was the first actor to shoot the dance sequence, and her performance was approved in the first take. However, she allegedly noticed Shah Rukh and Salman watching her from behind a bush and laughing again.
“The next shot was theirs. They had to do a step on their knees in between 5,000 people. They took so many retakes that the director eventually shouted ‘Pack up!’ and everyone ran to their rooms.”
As the actors rushed back, Mamta recalled how Salman stopped her and shut the door on her face.
“I knew last evening they played a trick on me. I didn’t want to give them another opportunity to make the choreographer assign all the steps to me. So, when they ran up, I ran too. As soon as I reached my door, Salman stopped me and slammed it shut on my face. That was it.”
Karan Arjun and Mamta Kulkarni’s new life
Directed by Rakesh Roshan, Karan Arjun was a massive box-office hit and remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic films. It starred Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Kajol, Raakhee, and Mamta Kulkarni in lead roles.
Mamta Kulkarni, who was a popular actress in the 90s, has since embraced spirituality and recently received the title of Mahamandaleshwar by the Kinnar Akhara at the Maha Kumbh 2025. However, within seven days, she was removed from the position following protests from several Hindu religious organisations.
