Asha Parekh opens up about her journey from being dismissed by critics as ‘not a good actor’ to becoming ‘the only heroine whose name sold films’

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Before she became celebrated for her acting skills, Asha Parekh was known for her glamorous image, though many initially dismissed her as lacking talent as an actor. “Some critics wrote I was not a good actor. It hurt me. But Do Badan (1966) changed everything. Further Chirag (1969) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) proved that I was not as dumb as people thought I was.” On being never linked romantically with her male co-stars, Parekh said, “I was a tomboy; happy-go-lucky… Everyone was friendly with me. But no one could ever think of having an affair with me. I don’t believe they were intimidated by me. How you present yourself, how you behave, how you conduct yourself… that counts.”

The only man that Parekh fell in love with was director-producer Nasir Hussain with whom she worked in Dil Deke Dekho (1959), which played a key role in her ascend to stardom. Parekh, nonetheless, never wished to be a ‘home breaker’. She wrote in her book, “Nasir saab was the only man I ever loved. I was enamoured by him. I loved him. But it was not meant to be.” Interestingly, the astrologer that Parekh’s mother consulted, had said that “this girl will not get married.”