Khushbu Sundar commenced her career as a child artist in Hindi cinema during the 1980s, subsequently achieving prominence as a leading actress in Tamil and Telugu films throughout the 1990s. However, her journey could have taken a different turn. The actor-turned-politician recently disclosed that she was initially cast by the late Raj Kapoor in the film Ram Teri Ganga Maili, but was ultimately replaced by Mandakini.

Khushbu on Ram Teri Ganga Maili

In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Khushbu disclosed, “Raj Kapoor intended to cast me in Ram Teri Ganga Maili. We even conducted a photo shoot for the project. After reviewing those images, Raj Kapoor remarked, ‘She is my Ganga.’ The initial plan was to complete the Gangotri schedule first; however, due to snowfall, they opted to film in Kolkata initially, where the brothel scene would be depicted. In this part of the film, the character is already a mother to an infant.”

Ram Teri Ganga Maili was filmed in 1984 and premiered the following year. It marked the debut of Raj Kapoor's youngest son, Rajiv Kapoor, alongside Mandakini. The latter was brought on board after Raj Kapoor reconsidered his choice regarding Khushbu. The actress shared, “At that time, I was not even fully 14 years old, prompting Raj ji to say, ‘She is still a child, and having a baby in her arms would not be appropriate.’ He was unable to delay the film's production, which ultimately led to my exclusion from the project.”

Khushbu's film career and recent work

Ram Teri Ganga Maili was ultimately released in August 1985 and achieved significant commercial success. This film marked the final directorial effort of Raj Kapoor before his passing a few years later. Khushbu made her entry as a leading actress in Meri Jung, also released in 1985. She made her debut in Telugu cinema with Kaliyuga Pandavulu in 1986. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to Chennai, where she featured in numerous successful Tamil and Telugu films throughout the following decade. After a 13-year break from the film industry, she made her comeback in 2021 with the Rajinikanth film Annaatthe. Her most recent appearance was in Vanvas, which marked her first Hindi film in over three decades.

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