Marriage is not all rainbows and butterflies; you have to give in to your partner's whims every now and then, and that's a two-way street.
There was someone from China who came down to my house and locked himself outside the gate. He wanted to marry me and created a lot of trouble. I had to eventually report to the police and put him behind the bars.
My parents had an inter-reli'gious marriage. My father is a Gujarati and my mother a Bohri Muslim. I am an only child. My par'ents loved me very much, but were very strict: I was a tomboy, always among boys, playing, fighting.
Not many know but I did maximum films with Sunil Dutt, who was a thorough gentleman and enthusiastic about everything. He loved making tea for everybody on the sets and that is how I formed habit of having four to five cups of tea in a day.
For me fortunately, my mother was my backbone. She was an independent and fierce woman, and she made sure I am too. She wanted me to be a brave person.
I started as a child artist, and not as a heroine, as most would think. I was performing on stage once when the late Bimal Roy saw me and asked me if I would work in films. I was too tiny. Without realising, I just said yes.
People mistake the thrill of early love for a relationship that is capable of braving storms and get disillusioned when they find out that their partner isn't perfect.
I did 6-7 films as a child. But it was taking a toll on my studies. So I went back to being a full-time student at JB Petit here in Mumbai.
My mother was very keen I learn dance and I learnt so many forms.
In fact, I never gave up doing dance shows despite films and even started my own dance school.
I feel blessed and lucky that some of the film industry's most magical and iconic songs where legendary composers and singers have collaborated have been filmed on me.
I know I admitted to being in love with Nasir Hussain in 'The Hit Girl', but as much as I loved him, I could never consider breaking up his family and traumatising his children. It was far simpler and satisfying to be on my own.
I met my share of boys but the end result was always the same - they weren't the right kind of men for me.
Over time, my mother also gave up her dream of seeing me as a bride because whomever she showed my horoscope to would say my marriage wouldn't be a successful one. It was not the kind of thing I believed in, but it did grant me some semblance of peace.
But since I did my first film with Shammi Kapoor ji, he is my favourite. I was very shy to face the camera. In my first few shots with Shammi chacha, I was very nervous. He was very patient with me and guided me in every shot.
I was a dancer, so it was easy for me to dance in films. I had studied Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odisi and Kathakali much before I even thought of becoming an actor.
Of course there should be women empowerment, women should get every right. They need to fight for it because the society doesn't look at women equally, and that's not fair.
I lost my parents. I was totally alone and I had to manage everything all alone. It did put me in depression.
I realised I was a 'star' when my first film Dil Deke Dekho was released after being rejected before. It was a very big thing for me.
On the top you are always lonely.
