The only actor missing from her list of co-stars.
By Prabhav Hiremath
MUMBAI: Indian audience has seen her on-screen with leading stars of her era, like Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand, but Asha Parekh has one wish she’s eagerly waiting even now to be fulfilled: to share screen space with Dilip Kumar.
If hits like ‘Dil Deke Dekho (1959)’ and ‘Teesri Manzil (1966)’ saw her opposite Shammi Kapoor, then the beauty was casted alongside Dev Anand in movies like ‘Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)’ and opposite Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood’s first superstar, in blockbusters like ‘Aan Milo Sajna (1970)’ and ‘Kati Patang (1970).’ But her association with all such successes and stars has not prevented her hope even today of working with the legendary actor, producer Dilip Kumar.
The 71-year old veteran actress expressed, “I really want to work with Yusuf Saab (Dilip Kumar). It’s still a wish and I am still waiting to work with him.”
Her aspiration to work with him dates back to the year 1998 when Dilip Kumar took retirement from silver screen with his last film ‘Qila’ releasing that year. The Padma Shri awardee further added, “If I get an opportunity, I would just run and do that project. This is one thing I am looking forward to.”
The reason put forward at that time with regards to both of them not coming together on screen was cited as an animosity between them, which the actress considered as rubbish and an imagination of journalists making up the story and publishing it in newspapers.
Speaking of the current generation, Parekh, who was one of the best dancers of her era, mentioned her dislike of the trend of introducing item numbers in almost all Bollywood films. The difference between the remuneration of lead actor and an actress continue to exist in Bollywood, which was the same situation even in her time too.
The actress clarified too, of enjoying her retirement currently, after having worked in all forms, stage, TV, and films with her last being ‘Muthi Bhari Zameen (1996).’ She has even directed and produced a successful TV show named ‘Kora Kagaz’ which aired on Star Plus in 1998-1999.
Having started her filmy career as a child actress under the name Baby Asha Parekh in the film ‘Aasmaan (1952)’, her debut as a lead actress was in ‘Dil Deke Dekho.’
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