Veteran actress Susmita Mukherjee has opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life. She revealed that she took up C-grade films to repay a debt of Rs 1 crore after her production company went bankrupt. In a candid video shared on social media, the actress spoke honestly about the tough choices she made to support her family during that period.
Veteran actress Susmita Mukherjee shares she sold her soul due to helplessness
Addressing why she took on projects she wasn’t proud of, Susmita Mukherjee said, “Someone asked me, ‘Ma’am, why did you act in bad films?’ I was shocked because it’s a very disturbing thing to go back to my life and say, ‘Why did I act in such sexist, C-grade films, films derogatory to women. But I worked in good films, not pornography, God, but just bad films, bad choices.’ So I did, and did I sell my soul? Of course I sold my soul. Did I feel good about it? I didn’t feel good then. I still don’t feel good about it, but it was my helplessness.”
Susmita Mukherjee shares how the financial crisis began
Explaining the circumstances that pushed her into those decisions, Susmita Mukherjee shared, “If I tell you about my life circumstances, in 2002, my husband and I lost our media company, Prayas Production. It was a loan of one crore. Along with us, Track Cinema and Anil Chaudhary Production, we all went bankrupt. Because at that time, a new era of technology had come. Angel Investment and Venture Capital. We didn’t know anything about technology. So obviously, we went bankrupt, and that’s what happened.”
Sushmita Mukherjee recalling the hardships during bankruptcy
The actress recalled how difficult things got at home during that period. She added, “So debtors at the door used to come, recovery people used to come, they used to abuse us, it was a very bad time, my children were very young. So I was forced to start working again. All the money that used to come, I had to repay a loan of one crore. My husband and I worked very hard to repay that loan after 3-4 years. So that’s why I had to do all that work; I had to make those choices.“
Susmita Mukherjee on choosing to fund her daughter’s education abroad
Susmita Mukherjee also revealed that supporting her daughter’s studies added to the financial pressure. She said, “Along with that, the Bengali mother in me woke up. She was doing well in her studies, so I started sending her abroad. My husband was a nationalist. He said, aren’t there good schools and colleges in India? But somehow or the other, I felt like it, so I sent her abroad. So she studied very expensively, she went to study in Australia and New Zealand. So I had to earn for that too. So I made those choices.”
Actress says she has no regrets
Despite everything, Susmita Mukherjee said she doesn’t regret the decisions she made. She said, “Of course, I have no regrets, not at all. I taught them well, they are on their feet. But because of that, I had to make all these choices. I had to do bad work too.”Reflecting further on her career choices, she added, “And the funny thing is, the good work, unfortunately, nothing came out. I didn’t do very bad work, but yes, I am not so proud of a lot of work I have done… So I feel every person should have their own index. Why is he working? Why is he earning wealth? So for security, for creative satisfaction, for helplessness, or to keep food, to teach children… or you want a big car, a big lifestyle, a big house, a bungalow, you are earning for that. You have to take a choice.”
Susmita Mukherjee on how she chooses her projects now
Susmita Mukherjee added that her circumstances have since changed, allowing her to be selective about her projects. She said, “Mine was very simple. I used to run my day month to month. I used to teach and I have lived a middle-class life. We all have to find out why we want to earn wealth… And because of this, I did something like this. I am not so proud of the projects I’ve done, but okay. It was right for that time.”She concluded, “But now I don’t do any work that doesn’t touch my soul. Now I do exactly what I feel like, with respect, I earn well and I’m happy with the projects I’m doing. We are actors. We don’t always have a choice. We are a cog in the wheel. Sometimes we have to work to run the house.”
More about Susmita Mukherjee
A familiar face across films, television and theatre, Susmita Mukherjee has built a niche for herself over four decades in the Hindi film industry, with memorable roles in ‘King Uncle’, ‘Khalnayak’, ‘Dillagi’, ‘Kyaa Kool Hai Hum’, and ‘Golmaal Returns’, among others.
