Mamta Kulkarni: Bio, Age, Height, Family, Husband, Career, Net Worth, Controversies, & More

In the 90s Bollywood era, Mamta Kulkarni was one of the most glamorous and bold actresses. Mamta, who was known for her roles in movies such as Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi, and Aashiq Awara, quickly became known as a talent. However, along with fame, she led a life full of twists; she got spiritual, she fought controversies, she became a Mahamandleshwar in 2025, but was ousted in 2025. In this blog, we will discuss Mamta Kulkarni age, her amazing transformation, and the controversies that have been paired with her.

Mamta Kulkarni Biography

Mamta is a former actress and model who had worked in many films in late 80s and early 90s. She began her career with modelling and then gradually shifted to acting in films. In the early 90s, she was crowned as one of the best actresses of that time. Although she had a successful career, she then chose to take a spiritual path and give up filmmaking. As per the sources suggest she has now turned into a monk since February 2025.

Full Name	Mamta Mukund Kulkarni
Real Name	Padmavati Kulkarni
Spiritual Name	Shri Yamai Mamta Nandgiri
Nickname	Rani
Profession	Former Actress, Yogini
Date of Birth	20 April 1972
Birthplace	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Omnist (Reportedly converted to Islam briefly)
Caste	Kokanastha Brahmin
Ethnicity	Marathi
Hobbies	Reading, Dancing, Meditation

Mamta Kulkarni Age, Height & Physical Appearance

Born on 20 April 1972, Mamta Kulkarni age is 53 years as of May 2025. Her zodiac sign is Taurus. With a height of 5ft 3 inches, she weighs around 55 Kg. She has Brown eyes and Black hair. Her skin tone is fair, and her figure measurements of 34-28-34. She was one of the most popular actresses of the 90s and had a pretty, attractive, and charming appearance.

Age	53 years (as of 2025)
Zodiac Sign	Taurus
Height	5 feet 3 inches (160 cm)
Weight	Around 55 kg
Eye Color	Brown
Hair Color	Black
Figure Measurements	34-28-34
Skin Tone	Fair

Early Life & Family Background

Mamta belongs to a Maharashtrian Brahmin family. She was born to former police commissioner Mukund Kulkarni. Her mother’s name is unknown. However, the details about her mother are not mentioned anywhere as of now. Born to a family of two sisters, her mother encouraged her to give modelling a try.

Father	Mukund Kulkarni
Sisters	Priyadarshani Kulkarni, Mulina Kulkarni
Maternal Uncle	Vartak (Marathi stage actor)
Maternal Aunt	Usha Kiran
Cousin	Tanvi Azmi (actress)
Niece	Saiyami Kher (actress)

Educational Qualification

Mamta completed her education from St. Joseph’s High School in Juhu, Mumbai. She was active during her school years because she was involved in school plays and cultural programs, which meant she was inclined to the performing arts. However, details about her higher education or any college attendance are not known. She was exposed to modelling and acting opportunities early in life, subsequently going into the show business right after schooling.

School	St. Joseph’s High School, Juhu
Higher Studies	Not Known

Mamta Kulkarni Relationships (Personal Life)

Mamta’s personal life was controversial, just as her film career had been glamorous. International drug lord Vicky Goswami has been her most prominent and talked-about relationship of her life. However, she never publicly accepted their marriage at the outset, and several media reports and police investigations over the years said the two were married. Once, Vicky had been convicted in a drug trafficking case in Dubai with Mamta, but during the early 2000s, the two had taken on a spiritual path. For several years, it was reported that the couple lived together in Kenya and then later in Dubai. He was once the husband of Mamta, but in a press conference, she reportedly said that she had denied being married to him as she was being falsely linked to criminal cases, as she had been associated with someone in the past. 

Relationship Type	Name
Rumoured Boyfriend	Tinu Verma
Partner (Rumoured)	Vicky Goswami (Businessman)
Marital Status	Married (Disputed)
Children	None

Mamta Kulkarni Professional Career

Before Mamta made her bollywood debut, she was working as a full time model.She did magazine cover shoots and photoshoot for brands. But her mother wanted her to be a successful actress so she tried her luck in acting and got success until she retired from films. 

Mamta also explained that after her mother started pressuring her to make her Bollywood debut, she succumbed to it and said she ‘didn’t resist becoming an actress’ but was a ‘reluctant actress’ who never regretted relinquishing the film world and that starting her acting was not her calling. 

Her bold screen presence and glamorous looks made her a glamorous actress in the 1990s. Her debut was with the film Tirangaa, which was released in 1993, and she came into the limelight with the films Aashiq Awara, Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi, and Baazi, which ensured her spot in the league of top actresses of the time. She was always known for breaking stereotypes and taking up films that broke stereotypes of Hindi cinema at that time. Mamta may not have lasted long vis-à-vis the limelight, but she managed to immortalize herself and permanently enter the pop culture hall of fame as a ’90s style icon.

Mamta Kulkarni Movies

Year	Movies	Role	Language
1991	Nanbargal	Priya	Tamil
1992	Tirangaa	Sandhya	Hindi
1993	Aashiq Awara	Jyoti	Hindi
1994	Krantiveer	Mamta	Hindi
1995	Karan Arjun	Bindiya	Hindi
1995	Sabse Bada Khiladi	Sunita Das	Hindi
1995	Baazi	Journalist Sanjana	Hindi
1998	China Gate	Sandhya	Hindi
2001	Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller	Sandhya	Hindi
2002	Kabhie Tum Kabhie Hum	Sumona	Hindi

Awards and Recognition

Year	Award	Category	Movie
1994	Filmfare Awards	Lux New Face of the Year	Aashiq Awara

Spiritual Transformation and Exit from Bollywood

In 1996, Mamta met spiritual coach Gagangiri Maharaj, whose life was consequently changed. In 2002, she quit films, gave up sex, and told the media she was leading a spiritually disciplined life for more than a decade. She lived in Dubai, Kenya, and was absent from India for 24 years.

What is the reason why she left India for 24 years?

Kulkarni was in India in the early 2000s and lived away for more than 24 years. The main reason for her exodus was a great move in her personal and spiritual life. In 1996, she met spiritual coach Gagangiri Maharaj, who started her journey of living a spiritual life. Mamta gradually grew away from the world of Bollywood and started exploring her inner peace and devotion. After that, she became celibate and said she had led a spiritually disciplined life for more than 12 years and lived in places such as Dubai and Kenya.

Besides, Mamta also became embroiled in controversy. In a drug trafficking case of ₹2,000 crore in 2016, she was named as one due to her alleged links with the international drug lord Vicky Goswami. Her return to India from the UAE, however, became problematic because of this, leading to a lot of media attention as well as legal complications. Although she repeatedly denied all allegations, she chose to remain abroad to avoid the spotlight and legal chaos.

Mamta Kulkarni Controversies

There has been a buzz around Kulkarni’s life, and one such topic is that she is allegedly responsible for an international drug racket. Her name became famous in 2016 when she was accused of being part of the Rs 2,000 crore ephedrine drug bust at Thane, Maharashtra. Mamta and partner Vicky Goswami (alleged international drug lord) were key operators in the Indian version of the drug trade, according to Indian authorities. Mamta, who was arrested in Kenya and extradited to the US, denied all the allegations and said she was innocent and rejected worldly affairs and was following spirituality.

She even held press conferences and had a book written to defend her image. Apart from this, Mamta was often scorned for her flashy photoshoots in the 90s, notably one where the actress posed topless for a magazine, which caused her to face legal action. This brought down a huge load in her Bollywood career, and she has almost disassociated herself from such an industry. The serious charges have been nothing in the way of conviction for Mamta, who maintains her innocence.

Year	Controversy	Description
1993	Stardust Cover	Posed topless; triggered public outrage
1998	Rajkumar Santoshi Clash	Accused of sidelining her role
2004	Burqa Court Appearance	Criticized for wearing a burqa in court
2014	Drug Case in Kenya	Arrested with Vicky Goswami, accused of drug trafficking
2016	Rs 2,000 Cr Drug Case	Named in the Thane ephedrine drug case
2025	Expulsion from Kinnar Akhara	Removed as Maahamandleshwar over links to glamour and controversies

What could have been the reason for her removal from Mahamandaleshwar?

Mamta Kulkarni was appointed Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhara at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj (Allahabad) in January 2025. Soon after, the founder of the Kinnar Akhara, Rishi Ajay Das, expelled her from the post. Das also had cited that her appointment was made without his consent and was against the Sanatana Dharma because she had been with the film industry and was involved in criminal cases. This turned out to be a decision that Mamta resigned from her post, but pitted the Akhara against each other, as well as drawing unwanted public attention.

Connect with Mamta Kulkarni on Social Media

Social Media Platform	Followers	Account Handles
Instagram	320K+	@mamtakulkarniofficial____
Facebook	3K+	@mamtakukarni

Mamta Kulkarni Net Worth

As per reports, Mamta Kulkarni net worth is approximately ₹85 crores (around $10 million) as of 2025. Still, even though she stopped appearing in the limelight in the early 2000s, her financial state is strong, thanks to her successful acting career throughout the 1990s.

Year	Estimated Net Worth	Remarks
2025	₹85 Crore (Approx.)	Includes property and royalties
2024	₹90 Crore (Approx.)	Before recent financial troubles
2025*	₹80–85 Crore (Adjusted)	Post asset freeze and debts

Asset Type	Details
Properties	3 apartments (unoccupied)
Other Sources	Book sales, performances

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