In today’s Bollywood, actors and actresses enjoy a level of luxury on sets that includes expensive vanity vans and five-star treatment. Shooting techniques have evolved, and stars now experience comfort and convenience while working. However, this was far from the reality in the 1980s. Actress Mandakini, who rose to fame with her iconic role in Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), recently shared shocking details about the hardships actresses faced during that time, particularly when it came to changing outfits during shoots.
The Struggles of Changing Clothes on Outdoor Shoots
Mandakini, whose real name is Yasmeen Joseph, revealed how actresses in the 80s had to deal with a lack of proper changing rooms during outdoor shoots. She recounted how they often had to rely on the kindness of strangers or the privacy of nearby houses to change clothes. Mandakini shared her experience as a guest on India’s Best Dancer, where she explained, “Studios have makeup rooms these days, but what about outdoors? Imagine how we would have changed clothes. Sometimes we even had to request people. If someone’s house was nearby, we had to request them that please can we get a room? Then we would get a room. Sometimes 4-5 people would stand and cover us with a curtain. In between, we would change our clothes.”
Endurance and Acceptance Amidst Challenges
Despite the discomfort and challenges, Mandakini explained that actresses of her time would simply manage with the circumstances. While they occasionally felt frustrated and uncomfortable with the situation, they learned to accept it as part of the process. She said, “At that time, we used to get a little angry. We used to feel bad too, but it doesn’t matter, because everyone used to manage like this.”
Mandakini’s candid recollection highlights the stark contrast between the working conditions of actresses then and now, offering a glimpse into the resilience of the stars who helped shape Bollywood’s golden era.
