However, her career was volatile. While she delivered box-office hits, critics often panned her acting, and her reputation for being "difficult" and embroiled in public spats (notably with actress Pooja Bhatt) added to her infamy. Her lifestyle became a part of her act—she was the bad girl Bollywood loved to gossip about.

In the annals of 1990s Bollywood, few names evoked as much glamour, controversy, and raw star power as Mamta Kulkarni. Her lifestyle and entertainment career were a quintessential Bollywood potboiler—filled with skyrocketing fame, larger-than-life riches, headline-grabbing scandals, and a dramatic final twist that saw her trade the arc lights for the quiet life of a spiritual ascetic.

On screen, she defined the "item number" era before the term became mainstream. Songs like "Chane Ke Khet Mein" ( Anjaam ) and "Kaliyon Ka Chaman" (*Govinda’s Had Kar Di Aapne ) became anthems of the 90s. Unlike the demure heroines of earlier decades, Mamta’s appeal lay in her aggressive sensuality. She held her own opposite giants like Shah Rukh Khan ( Karan Arjun , Anjaam ), Ajay Devgn ( Suhaag ), and Govinda, often stealing scenes with her fiery energy.