Mamta Kulkarni says 'Dawood Ibrahim is not a terrorist' later issues clarification and mentions Vicky Goswami 

Mamta Kulkarni

Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni has once again stirred conversation, this time over her recent remarks involving Dawood Ibrahim and Vicky Goswami.

The 90s star, who had largely moved away from public life after turning to spirituality, made a rare public appearance at an event in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, where her statement about the underworld figure ignited intense online backlash.

At the event, Mamta addressed long-standing rumours linking her name to Dawood Ibrahim and clarified her position.

She said, “Dawood Ibrahim se durr durr se koi lena dena nahi hain. Kisi ek ka naam zaroor tha [probably referring to Vicky Goswami], lekin agar aap dekhoge toh usne koi bomb blast ya anti-national cheez nahi ki thi desh ke andar. Main uske saath toh nahi hoon, lekin he is not some terrorist. Apko uska difference bhi samajh mein aana chahiye.”

The statement quickly sparked backlash on social platforms, leading to an uproar over what many perceived as a defence of Dawood Ibrahim, one of India’s most wanted men after the 1993 Mumbai Blasts.

As the video went viral on social media, many users questioned her choice of words.

Mamta, however, appeared unfazed by the storm. She went on to elaborate, insisting that her name had been wrongly dragged into conversations involving Dawood.

She said, “Aap jab Dawood ka naam lete ho... jiske saath mera naam juda hain, usne kabhi bomb blast nahi kiya kabhi Bombay ke andar. Kabhi suna aapne? Jiska naam aap le rahe ho, Dawood ka naam kabhi tha hi nahi. Dawood ko main kabhi jeevan mein nahi mili hoon.”

While her remarks were interpreted by some as an attempt to justify those associated with the D-Company, the actor later issued a clarification video on October 30, urging people not to twist her words. In the new video, she appeared calm and composed, dressed in simple attire, and addressed her followers directly.

Mamta said that people should “listen to her words properly and utilise their wisdom like sages and saints.” She categorically denied any personal or professional association with Dawood Ibrahim, reiterating that her name was “never linked to him.”

In her clarification, she also mentioned Vicky Goswami, a name often connected with her during the 1990s and 2000s, and clarified that while she was associated with him at one point.  According to reports, her relationship with him was personal and not linked to any criminal or anti-national activity.

According to Mamta, Goswami “was never involved in any anti-national activities.”

For those unfamiliar, Vicky Goswami is an alleged drug trafficker and was long believed to have ties to the D-Company.

Both he and Mamta made headlines when reports surfaced claiming they were married during their years in Dubai and later in Kenya.

However, Vicky Goswami himself refuted the marriage rumours in an interview with India Today TV, saying, “Mamta Kulkarni is only a well-wisher. She stood with me in difficult times but she is not my wife, I never married her.”

Mamta was once one of Bollywood’s most glamorous leading ladies. She rose to fame in the 1990s with a string of successful films such as Karan Arjun, Baazi, Sabse Bada Khiladi, and China Gate.

Known for her bold screen presence and chart-topping songs, she abruptly stepped away from the limelight in the early 2000s. By 2003, she had quit films and turned towards spirituality.

Her resurfacing in public and talking about Dawood and Goswami narratives, has once again drawn attention to the life that she has led in these years.

Whether her clarification will silence the speculation remains to be seen.