Raveena Tandon recently looked back on her 35-year journey in the film industry, recalling how she was once labelled “Little Miss Jinx” after a series of flops before being dubbed a “lucky mascot” following the success of Mohra. The actor also opened up about the challenges of being a leading lady in the 1990s, how Bollywood has changed over the years, and why she still gets nervous before taking on new projects.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Raveena recalled that the initial years of her career were far from easy. After making her debut opposite Salman Khan in Patthar Ke Phool in 1991, several of her films failed to perform at the box office.

She said, “The media was very, very cruel. They called me ‘Little Miss Jinx Raveena’.”

The actor said she never viewed a film’s failure as the responsibility of one individual. “You give your 100 per cent. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s not one person’s fault.”

The narrative around her changed dramatically after the success of Mohra in 1994. She recalled producer Gulshan Rai publicly calling her a “lucky mascot,” leading to a complete shift in perception.

“Suddenly I was lucky,” she said. “Producers would say, ‘Just give us one shot in the film’.”

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Looking back at the kind of roles available to actresses in the 1990s, Raveena said glamour was often non-negotiable. “You had to be glamorous. Even when you cried, you had to look pretty.”

She admitted she admired character actors such as Aruna Irani, Kirron Kher and Reema Lagoo because they were given more layered parts. “They got to play grey,” she said.

According to Raveena, the perception of her abilities changed significantly after Shool in 1999.

“It changed the perception,” she said, referring to the film that allowed audiences and filmmakers to see her beyond her glamorous image.

The actor also dismissed the idea that the film industry was necessarily more close-knit in the past. “It’s not corporatisation. It’s technology,” she said.

Recalling life on film sets before vanity vans and smartphones became common, Raveena said actors and crew members spent far more time together simply because they had no other option.

“We had no choice but to sit together. We’d be in jungles, deserts… just chairs and tents. Now, the minute the shot is over, everyone goes to their van. Someone’s on Instagram, someone’s watching something.”

However, she was quick to add that she doesn’t see this as a negative change.

“It’s not selfishness. It’s just that you have the option now.”

Three-and-a-half decades into her career, Raveena says she still gets nervous before taking on a new project. “I still get butterflies. I still get nervous.”

The actor, who has found renewed success through streaming projects such as Aranyak, said long-format storytelling has allowed her to explore characters in a way that traditional films often couldn’t.

“In a two-hour film, by the time you get into the character, it’s over. Here, you can explore.”

She is currently juggling several projects, including Welcome to the Jungle, the series Dynasty, a Netflix project with Kapil Sharma, and two completed Telugu films.

Raveena also shared the life lessons that have stayed with her throughout her career, many of which came from her father.

“You will fall. But you have to get up again,” she said. “Like a child learning to walk. He falls, but he doesn’t sit there. He gets up, collects himself, and walks again.”

She added that self-respect remains one of the most important things a person can protect. “Your dignity and self-respect are in your hands. The minute you lose it, you’ve lost everything.”

The actor also revealed the advice she now passes on to her children, including daughter Rasha Thadani. “Be kind to the people who help you climb up. Because when you come down, they’ll still be there.”

Raveena made her Bollywood debut with Patthar Ke Phool in 1991 and went on to become one of the most popular stars of the 1990s with films such as Mohra, Dilwale, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Ziddi and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Over the years, she successfully reinvented herself with acclaimed performances in films like Shool and Daman, the latter earning her the National Film Award for Best Actress.