Veteran actress Mandakin made her debut in Hindi cinema with ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’. Directed by the legendary Raj Kapoor, the romantic drama film also starred Rajiv Kapoor in lead roles. Upon its release, the film generated controversy because of Mandakini’s bold scenes of breastfeeding and bathing in a transparent saree, which wasn’t something the Indian Film Certification Board allowed then. Yet, it had a U (Universal) age rating, which was later amended to U/A. The actress who has made a comeback after two decades with her first single, Maa O Maa talked about the explicit scenes from the film.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Mandakini revealed that the breastfeeding scene was pure and it was comparatively non-sexual compared to the skin show that’s been done in the current times. She stated, “First of all, it was not a breastfeeding scene, it was shot in such a way that it could look like one. If I go on to explain how it was done, it would be too long a story. The cleavage that is seen on screen, you see so much of it, it is all technically done. But the way skin show is done in today’s times, that was nothing. We should not be even talking about it. It was also a pure form. Nowadays, it is all about sexuality.”
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The actress also shared her views on how Indian cinema has evolved over time. She emphasised technical advancements and evolved the perception of the audience that has contributed greatly to the art form. She said, “I have just started working, so I can’t really comment on the negative aspects. I think the good part is that we are technically advanced and people are paying attention to every minute detail. When I shot the song (it was a one-day shoot), I felt it was just like how we did it back in the day. I was enjoying myself. I did not feel like I was working outside, no professional feeling, it was like family. It felt like I was at home, doing it all for our own happiness. It would be difficult to define the good and bad changes right now as I haven’t really worked much.”
After a long sabbatical of 26 years, Mandakini released a song titled ‘Maa O Maa’ which also marks the debut of her son, Rabbil Thakur. The song that was released earlier this Tuesday is an ode to the beautiful bond between a mother and her child.
