A Diva Returns

How difficult is it to get a good role when you have passed your prime?
The expiry date in Indian cinema for heroines is 30 and if you are really lucky you can stretch it to 35. Once you cross 30 or you become a mom,you are no longer defined as an actor but an asexual being.

Has Bollywood matured when it comes to women-oriented roles?
There are definitely stronger roles for women now. I see Rekha and Shabana (Azmi) doing good roles. I just wish there were more. The West has beaten us in this.

What prompted you to come back to films?
I love being an actress. I took a break because I was busy with other aspects of life.

At this stage,are you looking for a full-fledged career?
No. I like to enjoy my life. I want to have fun doing a movie,make some money and spend the rest of the time blowing up that money.

Was your attitude similar in the ‘70s?
When I was young,I was very dedicated. There was that passion and fire. But when you have been there and done that and when you have kids,you mellow down.

You were one of the few actresses who portrayed unconventional roles. Was it the need to be different that made you do this?
Films just happened and I was keen to explore whatever came my way. Hare Rama Hare Krishna was a fluke hit. Yaadon Ki Baarat became a bigger hit. Things just fell into place with Dharam Veer,Dhund,Laawaris,Don,Qurbani and Satyam Shivam Sundaram. I didn’t wait for anything radically different. I did 80 films as the main protagonist and nothing was planned.

What would you consider the high point of your career?
It is difficult to say. But I would say my biggest advantage was working with the greatest actor-directors of that time,like Raj Kapoor,Manoj Kumar,Dev Anand,Feroz Khan,Sanjay Khan among others.

You enthralled the audience with your Western style of dancing.
I was the first actress who came into the industry without any training in classical dances. I am so grateful that the audiences accepted me that way. Parveen (Babi) was a good counterpart.

You were also big on stunts. Did you train for them?
I learnt sword-fighting for Dharam Veer. All the jumping and running I did in Don was also taught.

But didn’t the typecasting hamper your growth as an actor?
There are a lot of facets to us,but filmmakers choose to emphasise on a particular facet that works for the audience. I never really moved away from my western,cool,sexy babe image. I was happy with it. I would love to do different kind of cinema now.

Is there something you miss about that era?
There was a subtlety and innocence about our films. We had no mobile phones in that era. So we had to cross the sets,go to the office and wait our turn to make that one call. Those were fun days.