Despite starring in blockbusters like Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, actress Ameesha Patel has openly admitted that not all industry insiders are fond of her. She attributes this to her “no-nonsense” attitude and her refusal to engage in sycophancy or belong to any particular Bollywood camp.
During a chat with Zoom, Ameesha stated that her teetotaler lifestyle has also come at a cost. “At the end of the day, the audience needs to love you, no matter what camp you belong to,” she said. “Yes — because I don’t belong to certain camps, don’t drink, smoke and maska-lagao for work — I get whatever I get on my merit. People do not like me for that reason. I am not going to suck up to you.”
Ameesha also revealed that she wasn’t the first choice for her debut film, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. She landed the role only after Kareena Kapoor exited the project due to differences with director Rakesh Roshan. “Had I come from the film industry, maybe I would’ve been the first choice,” she mused.
She further opened up about the challenges of being an independent woman in the industry, particularly without a partner from within the film fraternity. “It’s worse when you don’t end up having a boyfriend or a husband from the industry,” she explained. “When you don’t share your other ‘half’ as a power couple, it’s very hard. You don’t have people backing you. There’s no reason to back you, you are an outsider.”
