Throwback to Neelam Kothari’s interview from the 80s; ‘Barbie Doll of cinema’

With all the buzz around Shalini Passi’s history these days — from her MF Hussain wedding cards to those captivating throwback pictures — have you ever wondered what Bollywood was like back in the day? Before Bollywood Wives vs. Fabulous Lives became the hit series it is now, the lives of these stars’ wives were a little different. Today, let’s take a nostalgic trip and dive into the past with a throwback featuring none other than Neelam Kothari!
Back in 2021, Neelam shared a gem of a video from her early Bollywood days — we’re talking about an interview from the ‘80s when she was just starting out in the industry! Can you imagine? Samir Soni, her husband, posted it on social media, and captioned it, “The teenage sensation @neelamkotharisoni All of 17 years old.” How adorable is that? Neelam then re-shared it with the caption on her account, much to the delight of fans. 
So, what’s in the video? The interview was filmed when Neelam was just 17, and after her first hit Ilzaam (1986) alongside Govinda, which was a massive box-office success. When asked about her big Bollywood debut, she explained how people thought she was just ‘too young’ for heroes like Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor. Neelam also talked about how she was different from other Bollywood stars back then. She didn’t mix much with the ‘filmy crowd’ and kept to herself — skipping out on the party scene to focus on her work.
A post shared by Neelam (@neelamkotharisoni)
Her journey began with Jawaani (1984) when she was just 13 years old! And soon after, she became a favourite in films like Ilzaam, Aag hi Aag (1987), Paap ki Duniya (1988), and Khudgarz (1987). Netizens on Reddit loved the video and shared their thoughts on the video saying, “I’m so engrossed watching her lovely, animated expressive face! Some actresses did come before their time.” Others shared the sentiment saying, “Such twinkling eyes. Looks so beautiful as and she also speaks well.” “She was always most beautiful and elegant woman…she still is,” read another comment.
From a shy teenager to a Bollywood sensation, Neelam’s early career was truly one for the books.