Actress Mallika Sherawat was shamed for her ‘bold’ scenes with Emraan Hashmi in Anurag Basu’s 2004 film Murder, she said in a podcast with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia recently.
“I think they wanted me to feel ashamed of myself. They wanted me to feel ashamed of the bold scenes I did; in a way feel ashamed of the success of murder,” shared Mallika with Ranveer.
“A film cannot be a hit only on the basis of skin show. There has to be some depth to the story,” she added.
Mallika recounted how the film resonated with many women, even though many Bollywood celebrities criticised her for taking on such a role. "The story resonated with a large section of Indian women who could relate to the loneliness of a married woman. That is why Murder is an enduring classic. It’s got the status of a cult film today,” she said.
When asked what she had confided in producer Mahesh Bhatt, Mallika revealed that she used to cry to him, telling him about the humiliation meted out to her by other actresses. However, Mahesh advised her to embrace the criticism, saying she should only worry if people stopped talking about her. "He has his own philosophy... I believe he was trying to toughen me up," she added.
Mallika also reflected on how challenging it was to endure the ups and downs of Bollywood while maintaining a positive outlook.
Sharing the video on Instagram on Sunday, Mallika noted how she had been misquoted by several media outlets. “So sad to see media misquoting blatantly and other outlets just copy pasting blindly without proof check! Here is the video of my conversation with Ranveer Allahabadia and just to sensationalise you guys decide to use Mahesh Bhatts name and outright misquote! He said, ‘Enjoy it! because the day they stop talking about you, that is the day you will cry’. I thought after 20 years atleast media will become more responsible,” she wrote.
Released on April 2, 2004, Murder revolves around Simran (Mallika), a lonely housewife trapped in a loveless marriage with Sudhir (Ashmit Patel). She rekindles an affair with her ex-lover, Sunny (Emraan), seeking solace from her troubled relationship. As their affair intensifies, guilt and complications arise, leading to dangerous consequences when Sudhir discovers the truth.
The first instalment in the Murder series, the film is based on the 2002 American movie Unfaithful, which was itself inspired by the 1969 French film The Unfaithful Wife. Murder earned over Rs 20 crore at the domestic box-office, according to industry data-tracking site Sacnilk.
On the work front, Mallika stars in Raaj Shaandilyaa’s latest romcom Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, fronted by Triptii Dimri and Rajkummar Rao.
