Monica Bedi admits her past has impacted ‘future prospects’, says filmmakers are ‘hesitant’ to work with her: ‘There are a lot of obstacles’

Monica Bedi was best known in the 1990s for being gangster Abu Salem's girlfriend. She also appeared in a handful of movies across languages, and is now looking to make a comeback.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | July 18, 2023 11:10 AM IST

3 min read

Monica Bedi and Kamal Sadanah in film Loh Purush. (Photo: Express Archive)

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Actor Monica Bedi, who appeared in a handful of movies in the 1990s and is looking to make a full-fledged comeback, has said that her checquered past might be impacting her chances of getting work. Monica was in a relationship with gangster Abu Salem for several years, during which time she appeared in movies such as Surakshaa, Tirchhi Topiwale and Jodi No 1, among others.

In a new interview with Siddharth Kannan, Monica admitted that filmmakers might be hesitant about working with her because of her past. Monica also spent time in jail on charges of document forgery. She said that she also had trouble finding a house and a partner because of the stigma attached to her name.

Also read | Monica Bedi lost the chance to star opposite Salman Khan in Karan Arjun: ‘I tore Rakesh Roshan’s visiting card and threw it away’

Asked if she still feels judged for her past, Monica said, “I don’t care anymore. The best thing that happened to me now, and I don’t know how this happened, maybe god had something to do with it, but I really don’t care anymore. I used to watch videos earlier, and I would get so upset. People would say all kinds of things about me. It really used to affect me, and I used to wonder for how much longer I’d have to keep providing explanations… But I’m over it, I don’t care about anyone else.”

But she admitted that her past is impacting her ‘future prospects’ till this day. “Yes, because of my past, there are a lot of obstacles in my life. I’m sure that people have this hesitation of working with me, because of my past. People who’ve already worked with me have no problem, they know I’m a professional, I’m kind… But people who haven’t worked with me are still unsure, and I don’t know how to address their concerns.” She said that she doesn’t meet too many people, so she doesn’t get too many opportunities to offer her side of the story either.

Not just work, Monica said that her past has also impacted her dating prospects, and made it difficult for her to get a house in Mumbai. Monica has also appeared as a contestant on reality shows Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. She starred in the television show Saraswatichandra, produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

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