Remember these Bollywood stars from the 1990s?

Vivek Mushran, who is best remembered for his role in Saudagar, turns a year older on August 9. We look at Bollywood actors of the 1990s who made promising starts to their careers before fading away sooner than expected.

Updated On: 2019-08-09 03:01 PM IST

Remember these Bollywood stars from the 1990s?

Vivek Mushran: Anointed the next chocolate boy post the super success of 'Saudagar', Mushran failed to live up to the billing.
Where is he today? Acts in TV serials. Was part of the popular primetime show 'Parvarrish' and was seen in a pivotal role in 'Veere Di Wedding'. He was also seen in web series Never Kiss Your Best Friend.

Madhoo: A popular south actress who took Bollywood by storm with 'Phool Aur Kaante' and 'Roja', her career went downhill thereafter although she got prominent roles in many films.
Where is she today? Has shifted focus to cameo appearances and Television and south film industry. She was in the TV show Aarambh (2017) as Maharani Sambhavija. She has made a comeback of sorts in Bollywood in 2011 with Tell Me O Kkhuda and later starred in Love U...Mr. Kalakaar! too. She has done a strong of movie down south, Nannaku Prematho (2016), Seetharama Kalyana (2019), Premier Padmini (2019) and host of others. She will also be seen in Kangana Ranaut-starrer Thalaivi.

Rambha: Another south import, she was part of successful Hindi ventures like 'Jallad' and 'Judwaa'. Her subsequent films did not work, and she shifted focus back to the south.
Where is she today? Was last seen as the character of Mango Dolly in 'Quick Gun Murugan', and continues to appear in films down south.

Ayesha Jhulka: She had two of the biggest hits of the 90s to her credit in 'Khiladi' and 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar'. Yet, by the mid-90s, her career had hit a major roadblock following numerous flops.
Where is she today? Did some supporting roles in films during the 2000s and made a comeback of sorts with Anil Sharma's 'Genius'.

Deepa Sahi: She played the loveable bhabhi in 'Hum' before shocking everyone with her steamy scene featuring Shah Rukh Khan in 'Maya Memsaab'.
Where is she today? Busy focusing on married life after tying the knot with filmmaker Ketan Mehta. Co-produced her husband's ambitions venture 'Mangal Pandey The Rising'.

Bhagyashree: She had as big a launch pad as any in Bollywood, with Rajshri's 'Maine Pyar Kiya'. However, her decision to act only in hubby Himalay's films post-marriage proved fatal to her career.
Where is she today? Did some TV shows, participated in a dance reality show a few years back, and remains a Page 3 regular. She is very active on social media, her son Abhimanyu Dassani made his Bollywood debut last year. She will be seen in Prabhas' 20th film which is under production.

Anu Aggarwal: Her career got a massive boost with 'Aashiqui', but poor selection of films ruined her progress.
Where is she today? Quit Bollywood back in 1996, and since has been out of the public glare. Last heard, she had a near-fatal accident in 1999, and was in a coma for nearly a month but managed to make a full recovery and went on to write a book in 2015. Now Aggarwal's time is reserved for teaching Mumbai's slum kids AnuFun Yoga, a healing module she developed after years of experimenting with Vipassana, Craniosacral therapy and Tantra across ashrams in Uttarakhand and Kutch. She teaches it for free.

Neelam Kothari: Having starred opposite Govinda and Chunky Panday in a number of hits in the late 80s, Neelam must have entered the 90s with plenty of optimism. But, barring a couple of films, her box-office record was pretty poor.
Where is she today? Has shifted focus to jewellery designing. She married actor Samir Soni in 2011.

Shilpa Shirodkar: The elder sister of former Miss India Namrata Shirodkar, Shilpa was part of hit ventures like 'Kishen Kanhaiya', 'Gopi Kishan', 'Hum' and 'Aankhen' before success started eluding her.
Where is she today? After getting married in 2000, shifted to London for a decade, before returning to Mumbai a couple of years back. She made her comeback with the 2013 TV show 'Ek Mutthi Aasman'. She even starred in TV shows - Silsila Pyar Ka as Janki Tiwari (2016) and Savitri Devi College & Hospital (2017). She was recently seen in Karan Nath-starrer Guns of Banaras.

Rahul Roy: He too became an overnight star following 'Aashiqui' and his long hair became a style statement among the youth. Roy, however, failed to replicate the success in films that followed.
Where is he today? Rahul was last seen in Richa Chadha's Cabaret (2019), he will also be seen in a film called Agra.

Chunky Panday: Best remembered for his supporting role in 'Tezaab', Panday lost out to the stiff competition he faced from the Khans.
Where is he today? Does character roles in films and has been a part of successful ventures like the franchise. He was last seen in Vidya Balan starrer Begum Jaan. He was also be seen in Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor's Saaho and Housefull 4.

Raageshwari: The actor-singer tasted success with films like 'Aankhen' and 'Main Khiladi Tu Anari', but couldn't continue her good run.
Where is she today? Returned to the industry after battling Bell's Palsy, in 2006. Was a contestant on 'Bigg Boss' Season 5. Married London-based businessman Sudhanshu Swaroop in 2014.

Avinash Wadhawan: The handsome actor was appreciated for his work in 'Junoon' and 'Dhanwan', but did not taste much success after that.
Where is he today? Doing television shows.

Kamal Sadanah: The actor, who had to brave the personal tragedy of losing his family at 20, featured alongside popular actresses like Kajol and Divya Bharti in Bekhudi and Rang, but despite promising much, his career never took off.
Where is he today? Produced the remake of his father's cult classic 'Victoria No. 203' in 2007. In 2014, he directed Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans, which flopped at the Box Office. He hasn't done much since.

Arvind Swamy: Having won acclaim for his sensitive portrayals in classic Mani Ratnam films like 'Thalapathi' (his debut), 'Roja', 'Bombay' and 'Minsara Kanavu', Swamy did only a couple of other Hindi movies, which bombed at the box office, while continuing to do movies down south.
Where is he today? He took a complete break from showbiz in the mid-2000s to concentrate on various business interests and his family life, which was affected by divorce. Swamy made a comeback with Mani Ratnam's 'Kadal' in 2013 and went on to star in several films like 'Thani Oruvan', 'Dear Dad' 'Dhruva' and 'Bogan'. In 2016, he featured in Dear Dad, that was critically acclaimed, though bombed at the Box Office. He has returned to acting full time, the actor has a string of Tamil film releases in 2020.

Kimi Katkar: The 'Jumma Chumma' girl from 'Hum' failed to cash in on the super success of the film. She started off her career in 1985, which ended in 1992.
Where is she today? Quit movies following her marriage to photographer and ad-filmmaker Shantanu Shorey.

Mamta Kulkarni: The sex symbol of the 90s was part of highly successful films like 'Krantiveer', 'Karan Arjun' and 'Sabse Bada Khiladi'. But controversies like posing topless on a magazine cover and alleged issues with filmmakers spelt the death knell to her career.
Where is she today? Last year, Mamta Kulkarni had filed a petition in Bombay High court to get her named withdraw from the FIR that was registered back in 2016 in a Rs 2,000-crore drug racket case. Kulkarni is listed as one of the key accused in the drug haul unearthed by the Thane police. The actress had pleaded that she is 'innocent' in the petition filed. Mamta Kulkarni is married to Vicky Goswami, the main accused in the multi-crore drug-racket case.

Sumeet Saigal: The man with dashing looks acted with top actors like Sanjay Dutt, Govinda and Mithun Chakraborty, but while his acting was appreciated, his films did not work.
Where is he today? Produced the horror film 'Rokkk' in 2010, not much has been heard of him since.

Deepak Tijori: Although he was never a lead star, Tijori made a mark with supporting roles in 'Aashiqui' and 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'. His negative character in 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar' was also well-appreciated. The good times, however, did not last long for Tijori.
Where is he today? Directed some films and was a contestant on the first season of the reality show 'Bigg Boss'. He was seen in Do Lafzon Ki Kahani (2016) and Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018).

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