Actor Meenakshi Seshadri delivered her career best performance in 1993 film 'Damini' directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film was a superhit. Meenaskhi received rave reviews for her stellar act in the social drama. The movie also starred Sunny Deol, Rishi Kapoor and Amrish Puri in key roles. But did you know Meenakshi was initially sacked from the movie? Yes, you read it right! It has been revealed by none other than the actress herself in an interview.
Meenakshi was ousted from 'Damini' after she rejected director Rajkumar Santoshi's marriage proposal but later she returned to the project after she got support from the Producers Guild.
In an interview with Zoom, when Meenakshi was said by the host that she faced romantic advances by Santoshi and how her rejection led to her removal from 'Damini', the actress said that she and Santoshi decided not to talk about it but she feels the courage to stand up was important ''because nobody should be told they aren’t required anymore''. She added, ''It had several implications for rules in the workforce and beyond''. She dealt with it by keeping quiet and chose not to comment on it as it's below her dignity to turn it into a fight. ''This is not a fight,'' she added.
The 60-year-old actress said that she stood up for what she believes in, and ''if things were going to work out, we would work together as a team''. That was the message she wanted to give to the film fraternity and the audiences. ''I was there to make a great film, and Damini was definitely going to be that,'' added Meenakshi.
Opening up about the support she received from the Producers Guild, Meenakshi said that she respects all the people involved with the film, ''especially Santoshi ji because his vision was tremendous''. She continued, ''Ultimately, they say action speaks louder than words, so the Producers Guild, the Artists Guild, all came together to make it happen.”
For the unversed, Meenakshi and Rajkumar Santoshi worked together for the first time in Ghayal (1990). After 'Damini', they collaborated again for 'Ghatak' in 1996.
