Becoming an actor in Bollywood is a dream for many. Some people get their break in the cinema industry easily, but even then, they struggle to maintain their place in the industry. Staying relevant is the biggest challenge, as one wrong decision can end their career. Today, we will talk about an actress who mesmerised audiences with her style and worked with big stars, only to later disappear from the industry. She was blamed for her sudden exit. Her love life kept her in the headlines and ultimately, it was this love that led her to jail.
This is how she got her first film
Monica Bedi initially had no special interest in acting, she liked dance more. She came to Mumbai to take classical dance lessons and started learning dance from Gopi Guru. During a dance session, veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar saw her talent. Impressed by her dance, he launched her in the film 'Kiritaman' opposite his son Kunal Goswami. Manoj Kumar signed Monica Bedi for 3 years. Under this contract, she was not allowed to do any other production film. Later the production did not work out and Monica requested him to release her from the contract. Manoj agreed to her and then she started looking for new projects.
Several films flopped
Monica's first film Taj Mahal was a big hit, due to which she got more offers from Telugu films. Her rising popularity soon caught the attention of Bollywood producers and she made her Hindi film debut in 'Surakshaa' (1995) opposite Saif Ali Khan. She did not have any mentor or strong support in the industry, so Monica signed several films without any planning. Unfortunately, films like 'Aashiq Mastane', 'Khilona', 'Ek Phool Teen Kaante' and 'Tirchhi Topiwale' failed at the box office, which affected her career. During this time, she also did stage shows in India and abroad.
The relationship that landed her in jail
During one of her shows in Dubai, Monica met underworld don Abu Salem. Their friendship soon turned into a romantic relationship. Abu used his influence to recommend Monica to the top producers and directors in the industry. As a result, she got work in films like 'Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat', 'Tada' and 'Jodi No. 1'. Monica decided to leave the film industry to settle down with Abu Salem. In 2002, both of them went to Portugal but were arrested for using fake documents to enter the country. They spent about two and a half years in a Portuguese jail before being deported to India. Monica was sentenced to five years in jail by a CBI court, which was later reduced to three years by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Her comeback in TV serials
After completing the jail sentence, Monica Bedi tried to make a comeback by participating in reality shows like 'Bigg Boss 2' and 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'. She also worked in TV serials like 'Saraswatichandra' and 'Bandhan'. Apart from this, she also worked in Punjabi films like 'Romeo Ranjha', 'Sirphire' and 'Bandookan'. Monica still performs in stage shows and regularly shares updates related to her life on Instagram.
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