Dino Morea's co-actress was seen in Raaz 23 years ago. Now, Malini Sharma lives on a farm, grows her own food and opens up about her quiet life in the Sahyadris hills

There was a time when Malini Sharma was a familiar face on television, in music videos and eventually on the big screen. Her appearance in Raaz in 2002 took her fame to a much wider audience, but her journey in Bollywood did not continue for long. Instead of chasing the usual path to stardom, Sharma gradually stepped away from the industry. More than two decades later, she is living a very different life surrounded by farms, food and nature.

Malini Sharma's journey from music videos to Raaz

Before entering films, Sharma established herself as a model and became popular through music videos. She appeared in Bombay Vikings' hit song Kya Soorat Hai, which helped make her a familiar face among music lovers in the early 2000s.

She later featured in Mika Singh's Saawan Mein Lag Gayi Aag, adding to her growing popularity. Around the same period, Sharma also ventured into television and became part of the cast of CATS, alongside Nafisa Joseph and Kuljeet Randhawa.


Her transition to films followed soon after. Sharma appeared in Vikram Bhatt's horror thriller Raaz in 2002, which starred Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea in the lead roles. The film went on to become a major success and remains one of the better-known Hindi horror films from that period.

However, the actress' Bollywood journey did not continue in the way many might have expected. Around the same time, she married actor Priyanshu Chatterjee, who had made his film debut with Tum Bin in 2001. The marriage eventually ended in divorce.

In 2002, Sharma reportedly walked out of the film Encounter just 48 hours before filming was scheduled to begin. According to India Today, she had also started thinking about exploring opportunities behind the camera after working as a model and actor.

She eventually became less visible in the entertainment industry without making a major public announcement about leaving Bollywood.

What is Malini Sharma doing now?

Sharma's next chapter took her far away from film sets and Mumbai's entertainment circles. She eventually started The Slow Local, a venture built around local food, crafts, workshops and community experiences.

The project initially involved pop-ups and events in Versova. Its offerings included homemade bread, granola, jams, peanut butter, South Indian coffee and oils. It also included activities such as storytelling sessions and workshops.

Over time, The Slow Local took Sharma closer to the kind of lifestyle she wanted. She eventually moved to the Sahyadri Hills, where she now runs a farmstay.

Her life there revolves around growing vegetables, preparing food and welcoming guests. Much of what she serves comes from produce grown on the farm itself. It is a sharp departure from the world of Bollywood, where she was once regularly seen in films, television shows and music videos.

Rather than the glamour of Mumbai, Sharma's current routine is built around farming, food, trees and a slower pace of life.

Malini Sharma returns to the camera after 23 years

After staying away from the camera for nearly 23 years, Sharma has recently given fans a glimpse of her present life through The Slow Local Diaries. The video diary documents her experiences at the farm and marks her return to creating content in front of the camera.

Introducing the series, Sharma directly addressed the question that has followed her for years — where she disappeared after Raaz.

She said, "Hi, this is Malini, facing the camera again after 23 years of Raaz. For those of you wondering where I disappeared, well, I am alive. I am here to present The Slow Local Diaries."

In the first video, Sharma also made it clear that this comeback is not about recreating her Bollywood image. She described appearing before the camera again without makeup or scripted dialogues, choosing instead to document her life as it is today.

For someone once known for Raaz, CATS and popular music videos, her world now includes farm-grown vegetables, local food, guests and the quiet surroundings of the Sahyadris.