Ameesha Patel has said that when she was starting out in Bollywood, some of her contemporaries had friends in the media, whom they would ask to circulate negative stories about their competitors. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Ameesha said that she has always stayed away from industry 'politics'.
The actor recalled how she would be labelled a 'snob' for arriving on the set of her debut film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in a Mercedes, while Hrithik Roshan came in a Maruti.
"I was portrayed as arrogant and snobbish and this typical south Bombay rich brat. Because on the set, I would not indulge in idle gossip and bitching about people. I would never have a negative word to say if someone else has a hit, I would always be happy that he or she has done a great job".Ameesha Patel, Actor
Ameesha told the publication, "I used to read books. I am a bookworm. So I would get told that ‘Ameesha ji arrogant hai, pata nahi apne aap ko kya samajhti hai (She is so arrogant, who does she think she is?)'. Just because she is from a big khandaan, on the first day of shoot she came driving in a Mercedes. They used to make fun that Hrithik came in a Maruti, Ameesha came in a Mercedes. But there was nothing to show off. That was my upbringing. I was never brought up to talk bad or ill about anyone.”
Ameesha is currently working on the sequel to her hit movie, Gadar - Ek Prem Katha.