If ever there was a hit-machine among heroines in Hindi cinema,it was Asha Parekh. The original Spice Girl,the queen of the spitfire heroines who thrived in the 60s and 70s,she has also done a lot for the film industry and society during her journey from child artiste to Censor chief and beyond. The first steps Asha Parekh was born in 1942 to a Jain father and a Muslim mother,and her upbringing was thus truly secular. The latter initiated her into Indian classical dance at an early age. As Baby Asha Parekh,she also began to act in films,her debut being in Aasmaan (1952),incidentally O.P.Nayyars first film. Bimal Roy next cast her in Baap Beti and she did a few more films (Dhobi Doctor,Ayodhyapati,Ustaad,Aasha) as child actor,before quitting and concentrating on her studies even as she kept honing her Kathak skills. Eminent filmmaker Vijay Bhatt rejected her when Asha approached him for Goonj Uthi Shehnai as a leading lady. But within days,Asha attended the premiere of Behroopia starring Raj Kapoor. S.Mukerji met me there and told me to meet him the next day,and Dil Deke Dekho happened, recounts the actress. Two profitable associations Dil Deke Dekho was the follow-up blockbuster to Tumsa Nahin Dekha of producer S.Mukerji,writer-director Nasir Husain and actor Shammi Kapoor,and also scored big at the box-office. It consolidated besides Shammi Kapoors exuberant style of romance two associations of Asha Parekh: one,with filmmaker Nasir Husain and two,with her dominant screen image as an incandescent heroine a brand later emulated by newer entrants from Saira Banu to Leena Chandavarkar,Rekha and others. And both these associations held Asha in very good stead: most of Ashas hits had her in such breezy roles,though she was lucky enough to get meatier characters too and establish a name as a consummate actress. As for Nasir Husain,she got a flop-free track-record of Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961),Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963),Teesri Manzil (1966) directed by Vijay Anand,Baharon Ke Sapne (1967),Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) and Caravan (1971). The only exception was Manzil Manzil (1984),by which time Asha had long shifted to character roles and was playing hero Sunny Deols mother. Peak-time bonanza Success came steadily,through early other films like Ghunghat,Gharana,Bharosa (all with Chennais Gemini Productions),Meri Surat Teri Ankhen and Chhaya. But the real peak,Nasir Husains films apart,began from 1964,with hits like Ziddi,Mere Sanam,Love In Tokyo,Do Badan and Aaye Din Bahaar Ke. The hit cavalcade continued with Upkar,Shikar,Sajan and Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke. When many of her contemporaries and even juniors began to lose ground at the turn of the 70s,Asha,who had even acted in three films in Gujarati,including the blockbuster Akhand Soubhagyavati in 1963,began the decade with the average Bhai Bhai and held sway in 1971 with a record tally of four superhits - Aan Milo Sajana,Mera Gaon Mera Desh,Caravan and Kati Patang. After Samadhi (1972) and Heera (1973),she experimented with her first senior role in the flop Anjaan Raahein and the hit Zakhmee. Her scene-stealing title-role in Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) was her last histrionic and commercial coup before she shifted to largely-insignificant mother or bhabhi roles,from which only a few films like the 1981 Kaalia made a mark. Andolan (1995) was her last release. Actor Plus In association with mentor Nasir Husain,Asha also ran a film distribution company. She came very near to directing a film with Bhairavi (1996),but quit because of creative differences with Plus Films over the climax. On the advice of friends,Asha took to producing or directing television serials in the early 90s with the serial Jyoti. Her other serials included the dance-oriented Baaje Payal and Kora Kagaz. Asha Parekh was also the first female chairperson of the Censor Board,though her tenure was a shade controversial (But the people there still remember me and call up,and they gave me a beautiful send-off, she recalls with a smile). She was and remains an important office-bearer for many key film industry associations. But Ashas most significant roles outside cinema were as a classical dancer and a philanthropist. She had her own dance troupe and staged successful ballets in India and abroad. A hospital in Mumbais suburb of Santacruz had a ward financed by her and soon the entire hospital was not only known as Asha Parekh Hospital rather than by its actual name but also became a suburban city landmark! Today,Asha has helped the entire hospital come out of a labour crisis and personally overviews its successful development into a state-of-the-art medical institution. Little wonder then that her long list of honours here and abroad included the Padma Shri,one of the distinctions that she truly cherishes. I also received a popular award at the hands of our illustrious Field-Marshal Sam Maneckshaw - that made it again another unforgettable moment for me! she smiles. Distinctive and distinguished You could agree or disagree with Asha Parekh,but you could never fault either her decisive,distinctive persona or her sincerity - she is said to have nixed Censor clearance for Shekhar Kapurs Elizabeth and had reportedly refused to work with Dilip Kumar because she did not like him as a person,a story that made headlines in a newspaper last year and which she later refuted. The story was,however,at odd variance with the Screen announcement of Nasir Husains Zabardast,a big film in the 80s,in which she was to be cast opposite the actor. The film was shelved and later remade by Husain with a different setup without either of actors. Ashas old bungalow in Juhu was a landmark for its architectural uniqueness. Today,an equally-distinctive building stands in its place,and her seventh floor apartment is unique in its layout - with everything from the room itself to the décor following a circular shape. The old-world courtesy is intact: tea is ordered even before she comes and settles for a chat. She modestly accepts that she did tend to pick up the right scripts as an explanation for her extraordinary success. I would read a lot of books too,and that probably enhanced my sense of scripts, she adds. Asha Parekh candidly accepts that she was never considered a great actor because she mostly did light,breezy roles. But comedy is very difficult its about the right timing and perfect dialogue delivery, she points out. I was applauded most for Kati Patang,but two of my best performances came in Raj Khoslas films Chirag (which did not do well) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki in which I walked away with the sympathy because I was Tulsi,the underdog,even though my role was very short. Raj-ji had sketched the role so beautifully that I told him that what he narrated must come across exactly on screen,and it did! Dr Rahi Masoom Rezas dialogues were like shimmering pearls! And another favourite was Pramod Chakravortys Ziddi. Asha also cherishes Bharosa because she ended up being directed by hero Guru Dutt because director K. Shanker fell ill. Guru directed a crucial sequence starring Nana Palsikar and me. It was amazing the way Guru used the camera and explained what he wanted and why at a time when most directors expected you to blindly follow instructions. He wanted me to do his film based on an English novel,but that was not to happen. Another high was shooting Sona le jaa re (Mera Gaon Mera Desh) where Raj-ji used a Round Trolley every time the mukhda was repeated. Among other directors she respected tremendously were Vijay Anand (Teesri Manzil,Kahin Aur Chal,Main Tere Liye),Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Chhaya),Manoj Kumar (Upkar) and of course,Nasir Husain. And about filmmaker S.S.Vasan of Gemini,she adds a special note: I have never met a man of Vasan-saabs calibre. Yes,so many of the filmmakers then were giants! The co-star factor Asha Parekh had a special rapport with her first hero,Shammi Kapoor,who later worked with her in Teesri Manzil and two flops,Pagla Kahin Ka and Jawan Mohabbat. I look up to him and he is the co-star I respect most. I would look forward to shooting with Shammi as he made work fun rather than just work! she raves. In the early years,I was doing a lot of films in Chennai (Madras). And he would rarely work there. So it took us seven years to work together again after my debut film. From Raj Kapoor with whom she worked very late in Chor Mandali to Manoj Kumar,Dev Anand,Dharmendra,Shashi Kapoor,Joy Mukerji,Raaj Kumar,Biswajeet and others,Asha enjoyed working with them all. Interestingly,Vinod Khanna played her son in Main Tulsi (though they never shared a frame),her brother in Aadha Din Aadhi Raat,her villainous suitor in Aan Milo Sajana and the daku who captured her in Mera Gaon Mera Desh! And Asha has a tangential but relevant point of view on her heroes: I feel sad that todays comedians imitate these actors without realising how great they were as human beings as well! Czarina of the charts Other than attending an occasional song recording and her involvement in the music of her serials (by Usha Khanna,her first films composer),Asha was rarely involved in her music. Neither did she do dance-oriented roles like Vyjayantimala or Waheeda Rehman,keeping the dancer and actor personae in her almost in watertight compartments. Nevertheless,Asha inspired all her composers to give their very best for her,and that included dance sequences like Naache man mora (Meri Soorat Teri Ankhen),Koi matwala (Love In Tokyo),Badraa chhaye (Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke),Khat likh de (Aaye Din Bahaar Ke),Parde mein rehne do (Shikar) and the pure classical Dekho bijli dole from Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. I also loved the classical dance music piece composed by Kalyanji-Anandji for a sequence in Mahal, she recalls. A candid view Asha enjoys some of todays films like A Wednesday!,Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Billu,but feels that the dances and music lack roots. Where is India in these dances and songs? she asks. And I think that the make-believe is excessive if a village boy sings songs in Switzerland! Why are there so few filmmakers who present our rich,colourful culture well? We must bring that back!
