When actress Raveena Tandon told reporters, ‘You let me off too cheap’

An old video of actress Raveena Tandon playfully bantering with the paparazzi and quipping, “Bhut saste mai chor diya meko,” has recently resurfaced online. In a throwback interview, the ‘Mohra’ actress, while addressing the media, shared her thoughts on what drives her as an actor. In a clip currently making rounds on social media, Raveena can be heard saying to the media persons, “Bhaiya, please hold this for him. Thank you, Sir. No, let everyone roll first. Everyone is standing still; no one is rolling. Sir, are you ready? Okay, everyone is rolling.” When asked about her roles, she revealed, “You’ve asked me 50 times about my role in different films, and every time I say the same thing — I can’t reveal the role. But one thing I can share is that nowadays, I’ve started taking on roles that challenge me as an actor. I look for roles that genuinely excites me.” Despite her professional insight, she maintained her trademark humour, joking, “By the way, you could have asked me to say Happy Diwali, Happy New Year, or Merry Christmas... Nahi, are saste mein chhod diya tumne mujhe!”

On the work front, the National Award-winning actress rose to prominence as the leading lady in blockbuster action films such as “Dilwale”, “Mohra,” “Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi”, and “Ziddi.” She teamed up with Govinda for several hit comedies, including, “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,” “Dulhe Raja,” and “Anari No.1.” Venturing beyond her comedic roles, Tandon delivered impactful performances in the crime dramas “Ghulam-E-Mustafa” and “Shool.” After a hiatus, Raveena made a comeback in 2017 with the thriller “Maatr,” earning acclaim for her performance. She further impressed audiences with her lead role in the Netflix crime thriller series “Aranyak.” In 2022, she appeared in her highest-grossing film to date, Yash starrer “K.G.F: Chapter 2.” Raveena Tandon is a recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards and a Filmfare OTT Award. In 2023, she was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian honour.

The daughter of director Ravi Tandon, she made her acting debut in the 1991 action film Patthar Ke Phool, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Tandon established herself by playing the leading lady in the commercially successful action films Dilwale (1994), Mohra (1994), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), and Ziddi (1997).

She earned a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1994 drama Laadla and in the late 1990s, she collaborated with Govinda in several successful comedies, including Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Dulhe Raja (1998) and Anari No.1 (1999). She also played against type in the crime dramas Ghulam-E-Mustafa (1997) and Shool (1999).

In the 2000s, Tandon ventured into arthouse cinema with roles in the 2001 films Daman and Aks, both of which garnered her critical acclaim, winning the National Film Award for Best Actress for the former and a Filmfare Special Performance Award for the latter. Post her marriage with film distributor Anil Thadani, Tandon took a break from films.

Agencies