Mamta Kulkarni (born 20 April 1972)[1] is an Indian former actress and model turned Hindu monk known for her work in Hindi cinema.
Things changed when Rajkumar Santoshi, in whose earlier movie Ghatak: Lethal (1996) she had a cameo appearance in a song, cast her as the female lead in his 1998 film China Gate, an ambitious remake of Seven Samurai.
[citation needed] Angered and frustrated at the turn of events, Kulkarni lashed out at Santoshi, accusing him of cutting her screen time because she had refused his advances.
[13][14] In June 2016, the Thane Police named Kulkarni as one of the accused involved in supplying ephedrine for illicit manufacture of methamphetamine to a ₹2000 crore international drug racket and gangster, intended for trafficking.
[16] In August 2024, the Bombay High Court quashed the 2016 drug case against former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, deeming the proceedings "manifestly frivolous and vexatious."
The court concluded that the evidence was insufficient to sustain charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, noting that Kulkarni's mere presence at a meeting did not warrant prosecution.
During the ceremony, she performed the Pind Daan ritual at the Triveni Sangam and was given the spiritual name "Shree Yamai Mamta Nand Giri".
[19] Das accused Tripathi and others of committing an unconstitutional act and violating the principles of Sanatana Dharma by appointing Kulkarni, citing her alleged involvement in treason and link with D-Company.