The former Bollywood actress, now a Sadhvi, sparked public fury after appearing to downplay the fugitive gangster’s crimes while denying any personal connection to him.
October 30, 2025: Former Bollywood star Mamta Kulkarni, who has embraced a spiritual path as a Mahamandaleshwar in recent years, found herself at the centre of a massive social media storm following a recent public appearance in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The controversy erupted after Kulkarni, while addressing long-standing rumours linking her to the underworld, made statements that were widely perceived as defending India’s most wanted criminal, Dawood Ibrahim.
The Controversial Statement
Addressing the press at the event, Mamta Kulkarni vehemently denied any association with Dawood Ibrahim, a fugitive gangster accused of masterminding the 1993 Mumbai Blasts.
- Denying Dawood Link: “Dawood Ibrahim se durr durr se koi lena dena nahi hain (I have no connection with Dawood Ibrahim whatsoever)… Dawood ko main kabhi jeevan mein nahi mili hoon (I have never met Dawood in my life).”
- The Flashpoint: The furore was caused when she attempted to clarify the character of the person her name was associated with—her former partner, drug lord Vicky Goswami. She contrasted his alleged crimes with those of Dawood, stating that Goswami was not involved in “anti-national or terrorist activities.” However, in doing so, she appeared to question the severity of Dawood’s alleged crimes.
In her own words:
“Aap jab Dawood ka naam lete ho jiske sath mera naam juda hai usne kabhi bomb blast nahi kiya Bombay ke andar. Kabhi suna aapne? Jiska naam aap le rahe ho…Dawood ka naam kabhi tha hi nahi.” (When you take Dawood’s name, the one my name is attached to, he never carried out a bomb blast in Bombay. Have you ever heard? The name you are taking… Dawood’s name was never there.)
Public Backlash and Clarification
Mamta Kulkarni’s comments, particularly her suggestion that Dawood had not orchestrated any “bomb blast,” immediately triggered widespread public outrage online. Social media users slammed her for seemingly downplaying the severity of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, which left hundreds dead.
Seeing the storm, the actress quickly issued a clarification video on October 30, attempting to limit the damage. She reiterated that her comments were about distancing herself from Dawood Ibrahim and clarifying her association with Vicky Goswami, who himself was arrested in connection with a major international drug trafficking case.
She captioned her clarification video: “‘MERA DAWOOD SE KOI LENA DENA NAHI’ MAHA MANDLESHWAR YAMAII MAMTA NAND GIRI.”
The actress of hit films like Karan Arjun and Baazi continues to face scrutiny as her rare public statements once again draw focus to the controversial past she sought to leave behind after embracing spirituality and a reclusive life.