Kalpana Iyer, who recently returned to the spotlight after a video of her dancing to her iconic 1981 song Ramba Ho went viral, has opened up about why she stepped away from the entertainment industry. In a recent interview, Kalpana said her decision was driven by dissatisfaction with the work coming her way.Reflecting on her television phase, Kalpana explained how the industry environment gradually changed for her. “But then a lot of things changed. It all became about the same people, the same cliques. I was not part of any clique, neither in the industry nor in television. And I wasn’t really happy with the kind of work I was getting. So what was the point in continuing?” she told India Today.
‘If you are aware of my existence, you’ll reach out’
Kalpana, who moved to Dubai in the late 1990s, clarified that she was never unreachable and is now open to work again. When asked if she ever sought help from her Hum Saath Saath Hain co-star Salman Khan, who is known for supporting colleagues, she said she never did.“I haven’t called anybody, not because I think it’s wrong. But Dubai is not so big that if you want to help me, you can’t find me… I am not going to be looking for somebody to tell that person to [cast me]. If you are an aware person, you are aware of my existence. And if you think that I deserve it, you will get across to me. And if you didn’t, which means I didn’t deserve it. We’ll leave it at that. I won’t blame anyone, and neither do I believe in negativity of any kind,” she added.
Open to work again after viral moment
Kalpana revealed that she has now started receiving calls for reality shows and has been asked about the kind of roles she is comfortable doing. Her renewed visibility comes after a video of her dancing to Ramba Ho at a family function surfaced online. The song had topped charts after featuring in Dhurandhar and remains one of her most recognisable performances.
Career highlights and quiet exit
Kalpana Iyer featured in several popular films in the 1980s and 1990s, including Satte Pe Satta, Bade Dilwala, Hum Paanch, Laadla and Anjaam. She is especially remembered for playing Sangeeta in the superhit Hum Saath Saath Hain, where her character added tension to the film’s central family dynamic. Her last film appearance was in Dil Hi Dil Mein (1999). She also had a steady television career, appearing in shows like Kashish, Junoon, Chandrakanta, Farmaan, Banegi Apni Baat and Margarita. Kalpana reportedly left Bollywood in 1999 and settled in Dubai, marking a quiet exit from an industry she now says she’s ready to engage with again—on her own terms.