Actor Madhoo, who appeared in the latest episode of Maitri: Female First Collective along with few other names from the entertainment industry, shared her reason for leaving the industry despite being a known name in 90s.
When asked about the difficulties faced in the industry, Madhoo said, “That’s the reason I left the film industry in the first place. What had happened to me by then was… I had done movies like Roja, Annaya, and Yoddha…and you know many other films in different languages with really good roles. Then I went into Hindi films and became a resident in Mumbai. I did more Hindi films then. I was part of films in which action heroes were leading… you know nineties…I have no complaints. I danced in a lot of movies. I love to dance. But after doing something like Roja and going back to that… I was totally unhappy about that.
"When my shooting dates used to come, I was really unhappy. That’s when I decided to quit. Then I wrote a letter to everyone saying I am quitting. The intention was that you all don’t deserve me. It was childhood arrogance though. Later, I realised I am an artiste, and I have to do this. That’s why I came back.”
When asked about how she feels about being associated with words like ‘vintage actress’, ‘yesteryear star’, and ‘ageing actress’, Madhoo said, “Ageing is a privilege. If you are afraid to age, then you will die. Who wants to die? We are doing yoga to have a long life. When you age, how can you want to look like your daughter who is 20? You cannot. The thing is not to look young. The thing is to feel youthful. When I go to a nightclub and dance in a mini-skirt, people ask me, ‘At 50 why do you want to do this?’ I am like, ‘What is it you if I flaunt this leg at 50?”
She added, “However when it comes to films, it is difficult to get a role because I don’t want to do Ajay Devgn’s mother role, which is very probable. We were launched together… we are the same age. But things are changing because Tabu and Devgn did a film in which both were of the same age. That’s why I am extremely grateful for the change the industry has gone through.”
