Mamta Kulkarni returns to her 90s avatar, dances To ‘Koi Jaaye To Le Aaye’

Mamta Kulkarni returns to her 90s avatar, dances To ‘Koi Jaaye To Le Aaye’, viral video leaves internet saying ‘Yeh toh sanyasi ho gayi thi’

Mamta Kulkarni has once again become a talking point on social media, this time for a rather unexpected throwback to her Bollywood days. The actor, who stepped into a spiritual life after taking sanyas in 2025, was recently seen dancing to some of her best-known 1990s tracks at a film festival in Jaipur.

The videos from the event have now gone viral, with many social media users reacting to the striking contrast between her current spiritual journey and her glamorous screen image from the 1990s.

Mamta Kulkarni dances to her 90s songs

The actor was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th Rajasthan Film Festival. During the celebrations, songs from her films played at the venue, prompting her to join students and dance on stage.She was seen dancing to popular tracks including ‘Koi Jaaye To Le Aaye’ from ‘Ghatak’, ‘Ek Munda Meri Umar Ka’ from ‘Karan Arjun’ and ‘Lamba Lamba Ghunghat’ from ‘Sabse Bada Khiladi’.While the performance brought back memories of her Bollywood era, her appearance became an equally discussed part of the videos. Mamta opted for a glamorous outfit for the occasion, which was notably different from the saffron-clad spiritual persona associated with her after she embraced sanyas.

Social media reacts to her transformation

The viral clips prompted a range of reactions, particularly from users who remembered her as one of the prominent faces of 1990s Hindi cinema.

Several comments pointed out the contrast between her former Bollywood image and her spiritual avatar.One user wrote, “Bhai ye to sanyashi ho gayi thi", while another commented, “Ye to sadhu ban gayi thi na."Others joked about her return to a glamorous appearance. One comment read, “Isne to sanyash le liya tha," while another said, “Are mahamandaleshwar." A user also quipped, “From moksh to maya reverse concept."At the same time, many people focused on her appearance and praised her for looking glamorous. One user wrote, “She looks amazing," while another called her “My generation ka super star."Another person defended her decision to appear glamorous, writing, “Isko sadhvi nahi banana tha. She is very glamorous and gorgeous."

Mamta's spiritual journey began at Maha Kumbh

Mamta embraced sanyas during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on January 24, 2025. She performed the Pind Daan ritual at the Sangam and was given the spiritual name Shri Yamai Mamta Nand Giri.

She was subsequently appointed Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhara.Her association with the position later became controversial. She announced her resignation in February 2025, although she subsequently said that the resignation had not been accepted and that she would continue pursuing her spiritual path.The actor had stayed away from Mumbai for nearly 24 years before returning to the city in December 2024.

During her years away from the film industry, her name was linked to Vicky Goswami, who has been described in media reports as an alleged drug lord.In 2016, Thane Police named Mamta as an accused in a drug case connected to Goswami and alleged that she had attended a meeting in Kenya related to the racket. She denied involvement in the drug trade.A significant legal development came in 2024 when the Bombay High Court quashed the case against her, observing that the proceedings were manifestly frivolous and that there was insufficient material to continue the prosecution.

She had earlier ruled Bollywood in the 90s

Mamta's recent appearance has also reminded fans of the career that made her a familiar face in Hindi cinema. She featured in several popular films during the 1990s, including ‘Tirangaa’, ‘Aashiq Aawara’, ‘Waqt Hamara Hai’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Karan Arjun’, ‘Sabse Bada Khiladi’, ‘Ghatak’ and ‘China Gate’.She won the Filmfare Lux New Face of the Year award for ‘Aashiq Aawara’ in 1994. After years away from Mumbai, her return in 2024 generated considerable interest, although she had said at the time that she was not planning a return to Bollywood and that her focus remained on her spiritual journey.Her latest dance videos, however, have given fans an unexpected glimpse of the actor reconnecting with the music and films that defined a significant chapter of her career.