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'NO, I was not married to Mehmood'-Aroona Irani

Express Newsline catches up with the evergreen charmer, Aroona Irani to get some fast facts and plain truths from the bindaas lady

It's nearly a month after a television magazine came out with its cover issue on Aroona Irani but the lady is still smarting post the episode. For on the cover, emblazoned large and bold was a headline that has seared through her heart. In Lucknow on Friday to promote her serial Vaidehi, the veteran actor clarified to Newsline the truth about her relationship with late cinestar and legendary comedian Mehmood and denied she had ever stated being married to him.

"Everybody at some time or the other shares a special relationship with their co-stars. I did share a very special relationship with Mehmood. And it was not one of a brother sister, which is the guise many people adopt. He was my senior and we worked in several projects together and yes, we shared an uncanny rapport." Elaborating further, she adds, "Today people can have several affairs and take their time to settle down, why do you think we were any different? When a man and a woman work together they become friends, they can get attracted, they do have an affair. But sometimes circumstances are such that they cannot take the relationship further, it is not possible for them to get married- either because they are not keen on further cementing the relationship or because one of them is already married. But I have never said I was married to Mehmood," she says. Aroona admits that she was very hurt when she read the final copy of the interview and says, "I have learnt my lesson now- that is not to give too many personal details when a reporter throws you the line of doing a 'Lifetime interview' story. Yes, I was very angry and hurt and did feel like slapping the reporter but had I done that it would only have added more fuel to fire. If only 40 people had read the story by then, that action would have led to some 300 more reading the story and creating unnecessary publicity for the publication. I have learnt that some journalists will stop at nothing to sell some more copies. They may have struck lucky once but the next time I am just going to fold my hands and say 'Thank you. Goodbye." Now married to film maker Kukku Kohli, the Irani says she is enjoying married life after bringing up her eight siblings by working hard over several decades in the film industry. The lady who has been the brain behind many successful serials like Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand says she is glad she's still in fighting form and can write, act, direct and produce. As for films, she says she does not understand the sort of meaningless cinema and music that the industry is churning out today. "Viewers today don't want a story. They only want to be entertained, if only through vulgarity and crude antics, as long as they can get to laugh. Maybe we are just too old to understand their needs or mould ourselves to suit them. As for me acting in movies- where are the roles for women. Do you remember a strong mother role in the last few years? I don't." What about films like Being Cyrus and Black and the new experimental cinema which has got a new lease of life with the multiplex culture? "But how many of them are commercially successful? I don't think today's movies are for me. I'd rather stick to television which still makes sense to me. At least there is a story around which you build the serial. I cannot jump into something I do not understand." So which were the last movies she enjoyed? "I could say Taxi No. 9211 and Malamaal Weekly. I really enjoyed watching them. They did not bore me to death like most of the others do," says the lady. Ask her to comment on the current trend of item girls and item numbers and she says," things have really changed. But when Helen or Bindoo or I did cabarets we were stepping into forbidden territory. It was taboo then and we were termed the 'cheapo stuff' but we knew when to say no where we felt uncomfortable and draw the line. I wonder what those people say if the saw what is being shown in films today. I don't think there's anything left to see now.

No hurry for films

Snighda Akolkar who is playing the protagonist Shyamlee aka Guddi in Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiya recently shot for a documentary that deals with the Indian culture. The film was shot in Delhi and is being readied for a festival release. "At this point I cannot reveal more about the docu-drama but yes it is a lovely subject," says Snighda. Currently, Snighda who's sporting a new look in Hare... says that it is a challenge to play the role of a person who is supposed to have lost her memory. "It's quite difficult to bring the expressions and feelings of a person who has amnesia but is trying to remember her past." The actress is also doing Vaidehi in which she plays Aryan's ex-wife Janaki. "Everybody thought she was dead but she has come back and will be the key point in the serial who will reveal what happened to her before Vaidehi came into Aryan's life," explains the actress. She claims to be getting film offers but is biding her time before she makes the jump from small-screen to the big screen.

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She who grilled the scribes!

OF THE roughly 30-odd queries made by mediapersons to the veteran 308-film-old actress, Aroona Irani, in the city in her latest role as serial producer-cum-actress on Friday, none impressed her. "I didn't find a single query that was unique. Yet, everyone is coming up with a request for an exclusive interview!"

she remarked. So, the lady, all in blue, fired some back, instead. "You tell me what should a wife hailing from a middle class background do on discovering on her wedding night that her millionaire husband is impotent?" The query taxed the minds of the pen-pushers. And finding mediapersons groping for an answer, she added, "Even without physical intimacy a marriage can survive provided there is love. But, what would you suggest for the girl when she finds that her husband is frigid towards her emotionally too?"

The queries that Irani posed were real, borrowed ("stolen") as she said, from a "friend's experience" for her latest serial 'Vaidehi—Ek Aur Agni Pareeksha' being aired on Sony Entertainment Television in the 10 pm slot every Monday. That this is the first show to replace the hugely popular 'Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi' in the 10 pm category speaks volumes about the channel's faith in the producer and the story.

During the Q-n-A session, she declared that 'Vaidehi' was her last one-hour weekly serial

Sitting Preety:Pallavi Kulkarni

Dressed in a bright orange sari, actress Pallavi Kulkarni was busy living her on-screen image, though finding it a tad difficult to manage her sari. In town to talk about her role in Aroona Irani's Vaidehi (Sony), Pallavi says that a casual look is her style mantra. "I'm usually dressed in jeans and Tees, though on screen I've to wear saris. Being the bahu of the Jaisinghs in Vaidehi I have to be decked up all the time," she says. Twist in the tale Pallavi plays the role of a middle class girl who gets married into one of the richest families in the country — the Jaisinghs. "But she gets a shock when she comes to know that her husband, Aryavardhan Jaisingh, is impotent. Now in the situation that Vaidehi finds herself in, she has to take a decision and do something about it," lets in Pallavi. The serial is set for some interesting twists in the story in the coming weeks.

Pallavi who has acted in a number of TV shows and done many commercials says that her role in the serial is quite a challenge. The model -turned actress has also done a soft-drink ad with Aamir Khan before she started her acting career on the small screen. Staying in shape As Pallavi was a model once, she knows how to stay in shape. "I don't starve myself. But I exercise regularly," she says. Compliment her on her looks and she asks, "Do you think so? I feel I need to reduce." Pallavi sure knows how to take a complement with humility.

Gender bender



Sachin Sharma, aka Aryan of Vaidehi, landed up in the women's security wing at Kolkata airport, by mistake



Sapana Patil Poojary



Sachin Sharma who plays Aryan Jaisingh in Vaidehi can't stop blushing after committing what he prefers to call a 'cute mistake'.

The actor was returning to Mumbai after attending a press conference in Kolkata. At Kolkata airport, in his hurry to board the plane, Sachin didn't realise that he had entered the women's wing of security check.

"I was running late. Moreover, I realised I had left one of my bags behind," says Sachin. "In the confusion that ensued, when I had to get myself checked at the security, I went to the ladies' wing. The ladies' wing usually is covered with curtains on all sides. But here it looked different and so I wasn't sure."

What really made the situation embarrassing was that Sachin failed to realise his faux-paus for quite some time. Only after he noticed women cops at the counter did he realise his folly. "I went red in the face as I realised my error. I was stunned and wondered what I should do. Luckily for me, they recognised me. So instead of being slapped I was asked for my autograph! I was happy to oblige," he says.

Sachin is glad about his narrow escape. "Before I could get a sample of woman power, I apologised and quickly escaped. Even now when I think of the incident, I can't help laughing. I am not really an absent-minded person person, but what happened that day was one of the most embarrassing situations of my life," he says.

Game for good food


Aruna Irani treats her guests to biryani, paye and 'paani' daal


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Nowhere in India have I ever got to taste authentic Japanese food
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ONE FOR THE ALBUM Aruna Irani at Caf Uno, an informal restaurant at Shangri-La in New Delhi PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

The screen adds weight to one's personality. It highlights the creases too. A look at veteran actress and producer Aruna Irani substantiates this. Otherwise, she is a gym-owner's pride and a dietician's joy. As she proceeds towards Caf Uno in Shangri-La hotel for a light meal, inquisitive visitors surround her. Amid the shower of praises for maintaining her unbelievably young looks, she answers with twinkling eyes, "Apna hath Jagannath". Ever smiling, she clarifies, "I cook myself every day despite a hectic schedule. I don't depend on domestic help. And my family says I am a very good cook. I always eat with the family. It adds taste to the food you know... " At this informal caf too she doesn't forget that the cast of her serial Vaidehi - Aik Aur Agnipariksha is present. "I will save some space to have lunch with them. I enjoy eating with this extended family of mine," she says, sipping pineapple juice for starters. "Bahut khatta hai," she says, screwing up her as she complements it with some Caesar salad. "My favourite food is Indian, simple home cooked dal, subzi, chawal and roti. But I have come to like Thai food, and I love Japanese food too, but nowhere in India have I ever got to taste authentic Japanese food. The so-called Japanese restaurants 'Indianise' Japanese food. And I am scared of fish. Once I ate some and it caused a severe allergy. I almost hate it. Otherwise a Mumbai eatery called Gazali serves very good fish tikka which I used to relish earlier," she reveals as she tries some Parmesan cheese. Food tales Being out most of the day for the shooting of her serials, Aruna has countless food tales of her sets. "Once in a scene in Mehendi Tere Naam Ki I had to cook potatoes. The scene took so long that I cooked the complete aaloo ki subzi. We all ate that later," she laughs. Even as she relates the incident, a platter of lettuce is served. Helping herself, she recounts, "In the film Angoor there was a scene in which I was supposed to laugh hysterically after consuming 'bhang'. I don't take bhang even on Holi. So I had to feign laughter. After making attempts to laugh, it started coming naturally to me. So as I started giving the shot, everyone else started laughing too. Hanste hanste scene okay ho gaya. Even after the shot was done, I kept on laughing and so did everybody. Now, whenever I see that recording, I laugh uncontrollably. So whenever there are moments of depression, I watch that video." Not averse to a cheeky trick or two, Aruna Irani discloses that whenever she gets too many guests at home at mealtime, she adds water to her dal "to ensure sufficient quantity". "But you know I compensate it with my innovative aaloo-papdi chat. I treat my guests with my signature dishes paye and biryani, as also tuar (masoor) ki dal, rajma and chana... " Declining the chef's offer of dessert, she wraps up the conversation, "I am very sweet anyway... " Indeed!

RANA SIDDIQUI