"I sold my soul": Golmaal actress Sushmita Mukherjee recalls doing C-grade films to repay loan
Mumbai, August 6
Actress Sushmita Mukherjee has opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life, revealing that she took up C-grade and sexist films to repay a Rs 1 crore loan after her production house went bankrupt.
Known for her performances in films such as 'Golmaal', 'Dostana' and 'Aaja Nachle', as well as television shows including 'Gangaa', Sushmita Mukherjee shared a video on Instagram in which she candidly spoke about the financial crisis that forced her to accept projects she was not proud of.
Recalling the period, the actress said she was once asked why she had worked in films that were "derogatory to women," prompting her to revisit a painful chapter of her life.
"Someone asked me, Ma'am, why did you act in bad films? I was shocked because it's a very disturbing thing to go back to my life and say, why did I act in such sexist, C-grade films, films derogatory to women. They were just bad films, bad choices. So I did, and did I sell my soul? Of course I sold my soul."
"Did I feel good about it? I didn't feel good then. I still don't feel good about it, but it was my helplessness. If I tell you about my life circumstances, in 2002, my husband and I lost our media company, Prayas Production. It was a loan of Rs 1 crore. Along with us, Track Cinema and Anil Chaudhary Production, we all went bankrupt. Because at that time, a new era of technology had come," added Sushmita.
The actress said the financial setback had a severe impact on her family, with creditors frequently visiting her home to recover the outstanding amount.
"Angel Investment and Venture Capital, we didn't know anything about technology. So obviously, we went bankrupt, and that's what happened. So debtors at the door used to come, recovery people used to come, they used to abuse us, it was a very bad time, my children were very young," said Sushmita.
The actress said she resumed acting primarily to repay the loan, adding that she and her husband worked relentlessly over the next few years to clear their debts.
"So I was forced to start working again. All the money that used to come, I had to repay a loan of one crore. My husband and I worked very hard to repay that loan after 3-4 years. So that's why I had to do all that work; I had to make those choices," she said.
Mukherjee also spoke about the responsibility of supporting her family and meeting her children's educational expenses, saying that she has no "regrets" regarding her movie choices in life.
"I had to make all these choices. I had to do bad work too. The funny thing is, the good work, unfortunately, nothing came out. I didn't do very bad work, but yes, I'm not so proud of a lot of work I've done, more money. So I feel every person should have their own index."
Reflecting on the importance of financial security, she said people should understand why they want to earn money and make decisions accordingly.
"We have to be very clear about the why. Why do you want to earn wealth? And when you know it, then you have to do it. Like I knew why I wanted to earn wealth. And because of this, I did something like this. I'm not so proud of the projects I've done, but okay. It was right for that time," she added.
The actress said that with the difficult phase behind her, she now chooses projects that resonate with her personally and creatively.
"But now I don't do any work that doesn't touch my soul. Now I do exactly what I feel like, with respect, I earn well and I'm happy with the projects I'm doing. We are actors. We don't always have a choice. We are a cog in the wheel. Sometimes we have to work to run the house," concluded Sushmita.
Take a look at the post here:
The actress was recently seen in 'Dabba Cartel', which starred Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Shalini Pandey, Nimisha Sajayan and Anjali Anand in lead roles. The series was released in 2025.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is the reality of the entertainment industry that nobody talks about. Not everyone gets the luxury of choosing good scripts. She was literally forced to compromise her dignity to keep her home running. The way loan recovery agents used to harass people back then was terrible. Her story reminds me of many small business owners who go through similar struggles.
"Every person should have their own index" — this is such a profound statement. We are too quick to judge celebrities for their choices without knowing their battles. The way she survived bankruptcy, harassment, and still emerged stronger is truly inspiring. And now she does work that touches her soul. That's growth. ❤️
First of all, hats off to her honesty. But I also feel sad that our industry doesn't have enough support systems for artistes going through financial crises. She was a known face even then, yet she had to do those films. Imagine the plight of lesser-known actors. Also, the fact that she and her husband worked for 3-4 years to clear the debt shows real character. Respect.
This is heartbreaking, honestly. The fact that people used to abuse her and her family because of the debt is so unfortunate. What a terrible phase that must have been with young children at home. I'm glad she came out of it and now works on projects she actually believes in. "Dabba Cartel" was really good and she was great in it! ✨
As someone who grew up watching her on TV, this is a side of the industry I never knew about. It's easy
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