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As Asha Parekh Turns A Year Older, Jubilee Star Reflects On Her Superstardom: I Was Lucky | EXCLUSIVE

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Iconic actress Asha Parekh turns a year older today. Yes, she shares her birthday with the great Mahatma Gandhi. In a special conversation with Zoom, she reminisced about her remarkable journey in film, shared her top movie picks, discussed her friendships in the industry, and much more!You share your birthday with another well-known Indian? I share my birthday with that other far, far greater Gujarati, Mahatma Gandhi. But unlike him, I was anything but a peace ambassador. Whenever I entered the studio everyone would run for cover. It is hard to believe you are now well into your 70s. Fans still remember you as the vivacious screen queen? (laughs) Sometimes I see my films on television and I wonder, is that really me? That was so long ago, I feel it was another life. Now I am in my twilight years, happy to be healthy and alive while so many of my colleagues are gone. You must miss your friends? I miss Sadhana and Shammi (character actress, not the Yahoo star) terribly. We were all a part of a group of friends for decades. Now there is only me and Waheeda (Rehman) and Helen left. You sahelis do have your fun? (laughs) We go to the movies and we take vacations together. I don’t believe in sitting around moping at home over my past. It is very important to be on the move, emotionally and physically, as we grow older. I had a terrific innings as an actress. Your hits just flowed like an uncapped toothpaste tube… (laughs) Yes I was lucky. My films were breezy and they had fabulous music. O P Nayyar’s music in Mera Sanam and Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, and R D Burman in Teesri Manzil and Pyar Ka Mausam are hummed to this day. Which among your films do you consider important? I would say Raj Khosla’s Chirag and then much later the same director’s Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki. They brought me recognition as an actress. In Main Tulsi... I had barely twenty minutes’ role. Nutanji had the author-backed role. But I was still noticed. Yeh koi choti baat nahin. Bilkul nahin. Which other performances are you proud of? Kati Patang where I had to play a widow. It got me the Filmfare award for best actress. Is it true you were offered Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chupke Chupke first? Yes it’s true. Someone played dirty with me on that project. But I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s only talk about pleasant things. Okay, which is the one director on your wishtlist? Hands-down, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Look at what magic he works with his heroines! I wish he was born in my era. Or I was born in his era.

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