21 minutes agoAuthor: Ifat Qureshi
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Everyone must have heard mention of the 1988 cult classic film 'Veerana' somewhere. This horror film was in the headlines due to the beauty and boldness of lead actress Jasmine Dhunna. Jasmine, with dark eyes as beautiful as a doll, had attracted people's attention by playing the role of a ghost in the film, but this beauty became the reason for her anonymity and many questions. It is said that fascinated by her beauty, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim wanted to acquire her. Jasmine continuously received threatening calls from the underworld and meanwhile she suddenly went missing. No one has seen him for 35 years. No concrete news related to where he is and what his condition is has come out till now. Sometimes it was said that people of the underworld had kidnapped her, while somewhere it was said that she was living an anonymous life to save her life.
Today in Unsunni Dastan, know the story of Jasmine Dhunna's stardom and disappearance-
Jasmine Dhunna was born in Mumbai in the year 1968. Born in a middle class family, Jasmine was the only child of her parents. Jasmine, who grew up with great pride, was interested in watching films and acting since childhood. This was the reason that whenever there was any cultural program in the school, Jasmine always participated in plays and dances. Jasmine, who was very beautiful to look at, used to attract the attention of every person, big or small, when she used to act on stage.
Got my first film at the age of 11
It is the year 1979. Jasmine was acting in a program of her school. The famous writer, director and producer of that era, N.D. Kothari, also participated in the programme. As soon as Jasmine started acting, ND Kothari kept watching her. N.D. Kothari liked the acting of just 11 year old Jasmine so much that he offered her a film as soon as the play ended.
Jasmine was young, so N.D. Kothari talked to her parents and convinced them. The name of that film was 'Sarkari Mehman'. Vinod Khanna, 22 years her senior, was signed with 11 year old Jasmine in this film. Vinod Khanna was the star of that era, while Jasmine was a young girl studying in a modest school.
Without taking any professional acting training, Jasmine presented her excellent acting during the shooting of the film, which everyone was surprised to see. In the film, she played the role of a bubbly village girl named Bindiya. The songs of this film 'Paracha Mohabbat Ka' and 'Sun Sun Re Sarkari Mehman' were widely heard.
First film flopped, family made me quit acting
Jasmine definitely got recognition from the film 'Sarkari Mehman' released on 12 January 1979, but the film flopped miserably at the box office. After the first flop film, Jasmine's family stopped her from working in films. He wanted Jasmine to complete her studies first.
Started acting along with studies
Jasmine accepted the advice of her family and left her dream incomplete and started focusing on her studies. Jasmine could not keep herself away from the glamor world for long. Only a few years had passed when Jasmine again asked her parents to go to the movies. When her family stopped her citing her young age, she started modeling along with her studies. During her college days, Jasmine started getting big modeling projects.
Second film found between modeling
Jasmine was making a name for herself in modeling when one day she got a call from N.D. Kothari. The same N.D. Kothari, who had given Jasmine a job in the film 'Sarkari Mehman'. At that time he was making the film 'Divorce', for which he was looking for a beautiful young girl. As soon as he came to know that Jasmine was doing modeling and wanted to enter films again, he immediately contacted her and signed her in his film.
This time Jasmine shared the screen with veteran actors like Vijayendra Ghatge, Sharmila Tagore, Bindu, Jagdeep, Keshto Mukherjee in the film 'Divorce'. Her pairing with Vijayendra Ghatge was greatly appreciated, although this film, released in 1984, also proved to be a flop at the box office. Jasmine's films were definitely flopping, but the discussion about her beauty was increasing with every film.
Jasmine Dhunna became an overnight star with Ramsay Brothers' Veerana.
Ramsay Brothers, who made excellent films like 'Do Gaj Zameen Ke Neeche', 'Andhera', 'Tahkhana', 'Guest House', 'Purana Mandir', had a distinct identity in the industry for their horror films. He often made B or C grade films, which were categorized as adult horror films.
After gaining popularity with about 17 Harar films, Ramsay Brothers were preparing to make the film “Veerana”. In almost all his films, boys used to act as ghosts, but in this film he wanted to show the story of a girl who seduces boys and then murders them.
Ramsay Brothers chose Jasmine to do bold scenes
Ramsay Brothers were looking for a beautiful girl for the role of the film 'Veerana'. Meanwhile, Jasmine Dhunna's pictures were sent to him through someone knowledgeable.
Jasmine's pictures were so beautiful that the Ramsay Brothers team called her for a meeting. Along with narrating the script of the film, the team also told him that as per the demand of the script, he will have to give some bold scenes in the film.
Jasmine, who was waiting for a big film, immediately agreed to do bold scenes in this film. Ramsay Brothers started shooting the film in 1985 itself. Along with Jasmine, Hemant Birje, Vijayendra Ghatge, Gulshan Grover, Satish Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda were in important roles in the film.
Due to boldness, the film 'Veerana' was not released for 8 months.
The film 'Veerana', which started being made in 1985, was completed by the year 1987. Till that time, most of the films of Ramsay Brothers had escaped the attention of the Censor Board, but when 'Veerana' was made, the Censor Board had a strict eye on it. The film had bolder scenes than the Ramsay Brothers' previous bold horror films, which the Censor Board had objection to.
Censor Board made 46 cuts in the film
The biggest objection to the Censor Board was that scene in which Gulshan Grover was watching Jasmine taking bath through the hole in the door. Similarly, the board had also expressed objection to 46 different bold and violent scenes of the film. The makers were told that only if they improve those 46 scenes of the film, they will be able to get permission to release the film. Ramsay Brothers got the film re-edited and the film 'Veerana', which was stuck for about 8 months, could be released in 1988, that too after 46 major changes.
'Veerana', released on 6 May 1988, was a huge hit and Jasmine Dhunna became an overnight star from the film. While some people watched the film for the horror, there was a large section who watched the film for Jasmine's bold avatar shown in the poster. As a result the film earned 10 times more than its cost. Along with the film and Jasmine, the Ramsay Brothers also became recognized in mainstream cinema.
As soon as the film 'Veerana' became a hit, Jasmine started getting offers from many big films. He had signed many films. It is said that at that time, due to Jasmine's beauty, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was adamant on keeping her with him. This was the period when the underworld used to dominate the film industry. At the behest of the don, many heroines were kept or removed from the films, while it was also common to give the profits of the films to the underworld and invest their money in the films.
Meanwhile, there were reports that Dawood Ibrahim is continuously threatening Jasmine. It was said in the threats that if Jasmine did not meet him, her life could be in danger.
Suddenly she became anonymous, no news was received for years
According to some media reports published at that time, Jasmine, troubled by the threats of Dawood Ibrahim, had also lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police. But at that time, the underworld had such dominance that even the police could not help Jasmine.
Amidst the threats of Dawood Ibrahim, Jasmine Dhunna suddenly went away from the public eye. Whatever films he had signed, he left them all. Many different theories emerged due to Jasmine's sudden disappearance.
First theory- Jasmine has been kidnapped by Dawood Ibrahim's people.
Second theory- Jasmine has left India and chosen a life of anonymity due to fear of Dawood Ibrahim.
Third theory- She married a man living in Jordan and settled there.
While on one hand many different stories were coming out about Jasmine's disappearance, on the other hand in a report by ABP News quoting her family, it has been claimed that in order to ruin Jasmine's career, some people linked her name to Dawood Ibrahim. It was so that the director would not cast him in the film.
The mystery remains unsolved even after years, news was received after 31 years
All kinds of theories came up, but no concrete news was found about Jasmine Dhunna, who was last seen in the 1988 film 'Veerana'. With time people forgot Jasmine. After 31 years of being anonymous, Jasmine came into limelight in 2017, when Shyam Ramsay, who made the film 'Veerana' with her, said in an interview to Hindustan Times that Jasmine is alive.
According to Shyam Ramsay's statement, Jasmine was very close to her mother. When her mother started falling ill, Jasmine left the film world and took up the responsibility of her mother. When her mother died, Jasmine distanced herself from people in shock. He also told that Jasmine lives in Mumbai only.
People mentioned, but did not give concrete information
Actor Hemant Birje, who was seen in the film 'Veerana' a few years ago, had mentioned Jasmine in an interview given to Bollywood Thikana. When he was asked about Jasmine, he told that Jasmine is alive and his house is in Versova area of Mumbai. He also claimed that he is in touch with Jasmine. Jasmine lives abroad and comes to India sometimes. However, he also said that he never met Jasmine.
It has been 35 years since Jasmine, who was seen in only three films, went away from the public eye, but neither has any concrete information been found related to her nor has she been seen anywhere.
Next Saturday, 27th April, read the story of South actress Pratyusha. Pratyusha was a rising artist of South Cinema, but at the age of just 20, she committed suicide by drinking poison. Many questions arose from his death. The family alleged that her fiance and childhood friend had murdered her.
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