Following a major drug bust in Kenya in 2016, Kulkarni’s name was once again dragged into legal proceedings. Despite being named as a co-accused in several cases, she has consistently maintained her innocence from her residence in Kenya, claiming she is being targeted due to her past associations rather than any active involvement in illegal activities.

The contrast in content was jarring. On one side of the screen, the internet still looped her gyrating in neon spandex to 90s beats; on the other, news channels broadcast her speaking of renunciation and spirituality. It was a collision of two distinct media universes—the lurid, celluloid dreams of the past and the complex, spiritual reality of the present.

No story about Mamta Kulkarni’s media presence is complete without addressing the controversial photos that surfaced later. Candid shots of her with alleged drug lord Vicky Goswami at international airports or exotic locations became fodder for tabloids like Mumbai Mirror and The Times of India .