63 AND STILL GOING STRONG...Article

How did you feel when you were awarded the Phalke Ratna recently?
I had tears in my eyes because I was indeed happy and thrilled that Dilip Kumar, the person who had brought me to films five decades ago with his film Ganga Jamuna handed over to me the Phalke Ratna award in front of my colleagues and peers from the industry.
What is Doli Saja Ke all about?
Doli Saja Ke sets out to trace the struggle of a daughter to gain the love of her father. It is the story of young and beautiful Anupama, whose birth coincides with the death of her mother. The loss of his beloved wife leads Vikramjeet Kapoor to blame Anupama for the tragedy and she grows up with the kalank of being a manhoos, which is further fanned by her stepmother Maya. As she grows up, she too starts believing in the myth.
Why are you just producing and not directing your serial?
I have absolutely no time for direction. As it is, I am committed to act at least for five days a month for Ekta Kapoor's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. I am also in talks with Zee to make a serial for them. As a director, it is very essential to remain awake right from 6 am to 2 am. I get tired very fast since I am 62 now. I feel I should not do injustice to my health at this stage or else all of a sudden one fine morning, I will be gone!
Is Doli Saja Ke inspired by any real life incident?
To tell you the truth, I was inspired to make Doli Saja Ke after I watched Nutan in Sujata 8 or 9 times as a child. I was also inspired by Sharmila Tagore in Anupama. I decided to strike a balance between both the characters and created the story of the protagonist- Anupama of Doli Saja Ke. Though Sujata dealt with the subject of apartheid, Doli Saja Ke has a story line, which is similar to Anupama in which the father does not like his daughter.

Why did you choose Sahara One as the platform to air Doli Saja Ke?
It is not for the first time that I have made a serial for Sahara One. Earlier I had produced the serial Zameen Se Aasmaan Tak for them. The idea was in my mind soon after my earlier serial Vaidehi was off air on Sony TV.
Were you upset that Sony pulled your serial Vaidehi off air at the peak of its popularity?
No comments.
Why have you cast Dr Anuj Saxena who is in his 30's now to play the role of the 55-year-old father of Anupama in your serial?
It is the channels, which decide on the actors. Today whether you like it or not, the channels want actors who are in their 30's to play the father. To make them look older, we make it a point to make them wear spectacles and apply whiteners.
Is it true that you are planning to rope in Akshay Anand in place of Anuj as the father?
Anuj has not left the show. He has told me that he is trying his level best to adjust his commitments and dole out dates for our show. Even if Anuj dos leave the show, what is the big deal? Does not a show like Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi still run in spite of the fact that you have seen different Mihirs at different points of time?
Didn't Jas Arora walk out of the serial earlier before you zeroed in on Anuj?
Jas was cast in the role of the father of Anupama in the serial when it was launched. However, Jas developed cold feet when he came on the sets and told me that he did not want to play an elderly character though he had agreed initially. I told Jas that if he is not comfortable, I did not want him to do the role and make me uncomfortable.
Why did you cast new comer Barkha Bisht and not your favorite Sangeeta Ghosh in the role of Anupama?
I cast Barkha Bisht as Anupama after she did two look tests and auditioned for the role. I felt Barkha was the right choice because Sangeeta has a dominating personality, unlike Barkha, which does not suit the character of the meek and docile Anupama. Sangeeta has the image of a sex symbol and has always played strong characters in my serials. Even when she played a handicapped girl in my serial Mehendi Tere Naam Ki she projected a strong character. I would die to cast Sangeeta if I get a good role for her. She in turn would also die to do a role in my serial. I would love to cast her in my serials if she suits the role because let's facts, she knows my hang ups and I know hers.
Will you also act in Doli Saja Ke?
I plan to act after a few episodes of Doli Saja Ke go on air. I have always liked doing different kinds of roles. Though I would love to lay my hands on a negative character, I am keener on playing a positive character, because as a vamp, all that you have to do is to give the 'right' look to the camera. I feel that it is tougher to do a comedy role. The 'itch' that an actress has is something which cannot be wiped away with any lotion. Though I had initially said no to the powerful role in Vaidehi, I secretly hoped that some one would goad me to do the role. I grabbed it when the channel and my co-actors suggested that I do the role I did in Vaidehi.
Besides Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, are you acting in any film now?
For the last seven years, I have not been acting in films. The last film in which I had acted was David Dhawan's Haseena Maan Jayegi. I had played the role of the buwaji, which is being appreciated even today. I do not feel inclined because the people with whom I could gel while working are no longer there.
What is the difference between acting in films and TV serials?
Itis 53 years since I had started acting. It is beautiful to be an actress. With every film and serial, I grow in life. Acting, whether for films or television is the same. It is only the camera, which is smaller in the case of television. A TV star gets more popularity than a film star because while the TV stars get a daily audience glued to the television which come for free, films tend to flop and the popularity of the film stars tends to wane.