Do you regret losing it? No why should I? Because it was a hit? But I gave so many hits. Hemaji got her first Filmfare award for Seeta Aur Geeta. Mujhe pehle mil chuka tha for Khilona.
What about V Shantaram who cast you as a leading lady for the first time in Boond Jo Ban Gayi Moti? I was doing Khilona and Boond Jo Ban Gayi Moti at the same time. I was signed for a guest appearance to do a song. I had done bit roles in Shantaramji’s Stree and Sehra.I couldn’t say no to him. So I agreed to do a song in Boond Jo Ban Gayi Moti. Then his daughter Rajshree who was playing the lead in the film, decided she didn’t want to work. So Shantaramji decided to cast me as the leading lady in Boond Jo Ban Gayi Moti.But the film’s leading man Jeetendra refused to work with me.
[pullquote_right]In those days many big heroes refused to work with me. Even Jeetendra refused to work with me. Shantaramji put his foot down. He told Jeetu, ‘If you don’t want to work with her you leave the film. I’ll take another hero.’[/pullquote_right]
What are you saying! Jeetendra and you became such good friends? Ya, he said, ‘Mumtaz ke saath main kaam nahin karunga’. Shantaramji put his foot down. He told Jeetu, ‘If you don’t want to work with her you leave the film. I’ll take another hero.’ But Jeetuji finally relented. I held no grudges against Jeetuji because in those days many big heroes refused to work with me.
Even Dev Anand? No he never refused. I got the chance to work with him in Tere Mere Sapne.If he said no to any film with me I am not aware.
Jeetendra and you did so many films subsequently? Yes, but our jodi did not become as successful as Rajesh Khanna and I. My films with Jeetu didn’t click.
It’s the chemistry? It all fate and destiny. It’s up to the audience to take an actor to the skies or drop him or her to the ground.Either they love you or hate you.
You left the film industry so long ago… 40 years years ago I left. I did make a comeback in 1990 with Aandhiyaan. When that flopped my heart broke. I did get offers after that. But I decided against doing any more films. There’s too much politics in the film industry. I saw no need to go through the rigours of the rat race. I live in London. Working in Mumbai would have been impractical. It meant too much stress. I didn’t need it.
[pullquote_left]I don’t like any other films that Hemaji has done lately.[/pullquote_left]
Any role recently that you felt you should have done? I liked Hemaji’s role in Baghbaan. But I don’t like any other films that she has done lately.
But to see you play an aged woman of grownup children would be unacceptable? That’s one of the reasons why my comeback film Aandhiyaan failed. People wanted to know why I was playing mother to an 18-year old. I was a trendy mom in jeans. I dressed in the film how the heroine dressed in the original Pakistani film. Director David Dhawan wanted me to dress and behave exactly the way it was in the original. It didn’t go down well with the audience.
Your favourite co-star Rajesh Khanna is gone? When I was in Mumbai recently I visited Kaka(Khanna) in the hospital. What I don’t understand is, why does one have to hide one’s illness? When I was ill with cancer because of the chemotherapy my thyroid gland was gone. That meant anything I ate went straight to my weight. I bloated up. But since my fans knew about my condition no one made fun of me.I was honest about my illness and I am honest about my age. Fans love you more for your honesty. They all know that no matter how big the star he or she will die one day. Nothing is permanent. And experience has taught me there’s no unconditional and pure love in this world except the one between a parent and child. I’ve homes in Mumbai, London, Uganda, Kenya and New York. You may find me in any of these places. Or you may not find me in any of these places. It’s good to go with the unpredictability of life.
