Mahima Chaudhry Says She Faced Legal Trouble and Lost Films After Her Debut

Actor Mahima Chaudhry has faced several personal and professional setbacks over.

The years—from a career-disrupting accident on a film set to legal disputes that stalled her momentum, followed by a public battle with breast cancer. In a recent interview, the actor revisited some of the lesser-known struggles that shaped her journey in Bollywood.

‘I Was Taken to Court and Thrown Out of Films’
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Mahima recalled how her career took an unexpected turn soon after her debut, triggered by confusion over contracts.

“After my first film, I was taken to court and thrown out of so many films because it was said that I was under contract with Mukta—which wasn’t true. Then I had my accident and ended up sitting at home for a year,” she said.

The setback came at a time when her career was expected to take off, forcing her into an unplanned and prolonged break.

Refusing to Be a ‘Lucky Mascot’
When she returned to work, Mahima found herself being offered brief appearances rather than substantial roles. While many of those films went on to become hits, she was unwilling to be typecast.

“I started doing bit appearances, and all those films became hits—even when I was doing just a song. Then people started offering me only a single song, and I said no. I was called a lucky mascot, but I wanted to do more,” she explained.

Her resolve eventually paid off, leading to collaborations with prominent filmmakers. “Then I got back again and did films with Priyadarshan, Rajkumar Santoshi and Lajja,” she added.

‘67 Pieces of Glass Were Removed From My Face’
One of the most traumatic phases of Mahima’s life occurred during the filming of Dil Kya Kare (1999), when she was involved in a severe car accident that left her face badly injured.

“There were 67 tiny pieces of glass that had to be scraped out under a microscope. The next day, my face was more swollen and out of shape. My friends were laughing at my injury—they thought I had been in a fight and was lying,” she recalled.

The recovery was physically and emotionally exhausting. “I didn’t know what I was going to do in life at that time. I couldn’t go out in sunlight. You have to wait for the stitches to heal and keep the skin moist,” she said.

Turning Scars Into Style
Mahima also revealed how the film’s costume team creatively concealed her injuries while she completed pending work.

“Sunlight and UV rays can cause scarring. I finished one or two pending songs, but I couldn’t do full-fledged outdoor shoots. My costume designer put diamond dots on the scars, especially on the left side, which was more swollen,” she said.

What began as a practical solution unexpectedly turned into a trend. “It became a fad after that. People actually started selling it,” she added.

What’s Next for Mahima Chaudhry
On the work front, Mahima Chaudhry is currently promoting her upcoming romantic comedy Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shadi, in which she stars opposite Sanjay Mishra. The film is slated for a theatrical release on December 19. She was last seen in Netflix’s Nadaaniyan, alongside Khushi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan.