Sheeba & Akashdeep's First Ever Podcast Together: Akshay, SRK, Salman, Films, Family, Fun & More!

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Watch Sheeba & Akashdeep's first time ever interview on Lehren as the star couple gets candid about their love life, family & Bollywood like never before with senior most Journalist Bharathi S Pradhan. While Sheeba opens up on her Hindi film debut with Sunil Dutt Sahab & collaborating with Akshay Kumar & Salman Khan in early career days, Akashdeep Sabir elaborates upon his bond with Shah Rukh Khan, Dunki Film's unheard title story, relation with Late Shri. Pankaj Udhas, Bigg Boss, Housefull 5, Bjp - Amit Shah & much more... Catch the full podcast on your favourite digital destination Lehren Retro & www.lehren.com. #sheeba #akashdeep #akashdeepsabir #sheebaagarwal #sheebaakashdeep #sheebapodcast #akashdeepsabirinterview #akshaykumar #shahrukhkhan #dunki

Transcript

00:00:00Sheeva, you came into films because of Sunil Dutt, but did you feel he short-changed you?

00:00:08Because you know he didn't want you to sign films, he didn't want you to sign other films.

00:00:14He said he was going to introduce you.

00:00:16Yeah, he was possessive about me.

00:00:19Amit Shah ji, I want to take a photo with you.

00:00:22What photo with me?

00:00:25I'm a big fan of yours.

00:00:27I feel I should take a photo with you.

00:00:32I don't want to be politically correct.

00:00:34I desire to be seen next to Shah Rukh Khan in a long role.

00:00:38But my favourite co-star will always be Akshay Kumar.

00:00:41Salman is a baby in her. Innocent baby.

00:00:45What would you say?

00:00:46So again, when I worked with him, he was that only.

00:00:49Childish and fun and prankster.

00:00:51So I have seen that era.

00:00:53So I would sit in Malasan.

00:00:55I would eat and drink and sit in Malasan.

00:00:59He was so mischievous.

00:01:01He would come from behind and quietly keep the money next to me.

00:01:07Hello, Mote Shah Rukh speaking.

00:01:10I have a title, Dunky.

00:01:12I want Dunky.

00:01:14So I said, sure, take it.

00:01:18And his office said, sir, money.

00:01:21Money, I said.

00:01:22I will take some money from Shah Rukh Khan.

00:01:40Sheeba and Akash, how nice to meet you in this lovely apartment.

00:01:44It's lovely to have you over.

00:01:46It's long overdue but I am glad you finally made it.

00:01:49And how have you lasted 29 years together?

00:01:53We will give you 29 days.

00:01:57Ask this question separately.

00:02:02We are very happily married.

00:02:03I am happy he is married.

00:02:04Not the old one.

00:02:05Very old one.

00:02:06Try something new.

00:02:07What is that meme of ours that got popular?

00:02:11What is the difference between complete and finished?

00:02:13That is my answer.

00:02:15He said, what is the difference between complete and finished?

00:02:17Aren't they both the same?

00:02:19I said, no.

00:02:20See, when I came into your life, your life was complete.

00:02:24When you came into my life, my life was finished.

00:02:29If you are saying it's the same thing.

00:02:33So we are completely finished.

00:02:35Both of you met as you as director and you as actor, isn't it?

00:02:39Yes, we did.

00:02:40Akash directed me in four movies.

00:02:43Pyaar ka rog first.

00:02:47So Pyaar ka rog ho gaya?

00:02:48No, it didn't happen.

00:02:49No, it didn't happen.

00:02:50We lit the spark in Miss 420.

00:02:52In Pyaar ka rog, we were both dating different people.

00:02:55But I am not telling you who.

00:02:58I know who you were dating.

00:02:59Who was I dating?

00:03:01I have never dated anyone in life except you.

00:03:04So now we are switching her off.

00:03:05Please tell me who she was dating.

00:03:07No, never.

00:03:09Please tell me.

00:03:10I am still under pressure.

00:03:12It's 30 year old news.

00:03:14Come on.

00:03:15We don't kiss and tell.

00:03:16You can after 30 years.

00:03:18No, no, no.

00:03:19The statute of limitations doesn't apply on love affairs.

00:03:23You can give an answer to who you were seeing.

00:03:26But first tell me who was I seeing.

00:03:28I don't even remember who I was seeing.

00:03:31You were not meeting anybody in your life.

00:03:33That's why in your college days you were known to say

00:03:36girls are like acid.

00:03:38I will share something very nice.

00:03:40I will share something very nice where I will not take the name.

00:03:45But the incident is funny.

00:03:48She was seeing an actor.

00:03:50And then in Miss 420 when I recorded my first song

00:03:53Ma'am Saab, Ma'am Saab.

00:03:54Then Aaja Meri Ghaadi Mein Badh Ja.

00:03:56Un dino cassette hote the.

00:03:58So I put the two songs on a cassette.

00:04:00And I wrote on it.

00:04:02I like to write a little poetry or something.

00:04:04Not romantic at that time.

00:04:06No, but there was no scene at that time.

00:04:08Then I wrote something nice.

00:04:10And I have a very fancy handwriting.

00:04:12And I sent it to her.

00:04:14So she must have been with her boyfriend.

00:04:16He said what is this?

00:04:18So he took the cassette and said

00:04:20This guy is going to propose to you one day.

00:04:24I don't know what he saw in my writing.

00:04:26And there was no flirtatious line.

00:04:28She has to take that part.

00:04:30Come on Shiva.

00:04:32We have let you into this extent.

00:04:34Everyone knows.

00:04:36You will guess.

00:04:38Don't tell me the name.

00:04:40But you worked with him recently in Housefull 5.

00:04:44No, I worked with her recently in a film.

00:04:46With her.

00:04:50And I wanted to ask you Shiva.

00:04:52Housefull 5 is not a bad name to take.

00:04:54Because it stars Akshay, Abhishek, Ritesh, Fardeen, Shreyas, Bobby, Sanju, Jackie, Nana.

00:05:02She only worked with Akshay at that time.

00:05:05No, I am not saying.

00:05:07I am just saying there were 10.

00:05:09You were seeing 10 people?

00:05:13Shiva, you came into films because of Sunil Dutt.

00:05:19But did you feel he shortchanged you?

00:05:23Because you know he didn't want you to sign films.

00:05:26He didn't want you to sign other films.

00:05:28He said he was going to introduce you.

00:05:30He was possessive about me.

00:05:33So at that point of time, I came from a non-film background.

00:05:37So I didn't really understand the larger picture.

00:05:40I thought he was being extra protective.

00:05:42I didn't understand he was going to put a hamper on my journey.

00:05:46It's going to make my journey so much harder.

00:05:51But those days it took 2-3 years for films.

00:05:53They were made in one stretch.

00:05:55But you can't tell a person don't sign any other films.

00:05:57If you are launching somebody and a big brand like Sunil Dutt.

00:06:00You don't launch her as your daughter.

00:06:02But for her, it was her launch.

00:06:06Shakti Kapoor was always a villain.

00:06:12So that's what happens when you don't have a film background and a mentor.

00:06:15To guide you correctly.

00:06:17So that just made my journey much harder.

00:06:20Than the average actress of the 90s who came.

00:06:24So it did become harder.

00:06:26I realised that later.

00:06:28Sunil Dutt had given me a start in life.

00:06:30And I had learnt everything cinema from him.

00:06:33I could never ever hold a grudge.

00:06:38How did you meet Sunil Dutt?

00:06:40Because he was very big at that time.

00:06:42He was a politician. Huge.

00:06:44And very powerful.

00:06:46He was still doing cinema also.

00:06:48When he came to meet my parents.

00:06:50To ask them to allow me to do the movie.

00:06:53He came in that proper batti wali ambassador.

00:06:56So that's an important person.

00:06:58Thank God there is no VIP culture now.

00:07:02He was an important person.

00:07:04And he had come across my pictures on some in-flight magazine.

00:07:08Because I was modelling in Dubai as a part-time hobby.

00:07:15He kind of found me through and through people.

00:07:18And then he called me.

00:07:20And I said my parents won't allow.

00:07:22Then he came to meet my parents.

00:07:24And that's how that film happened.

00:07:26What do you mean my parents won't allow?

00:07:28You have done a Tamil film, right?

00:07:30No, I did the Tamil film a year after starting Yeh Aag Kabujeg.

00:07:32Fighting with him.

00:07:34I fought with Dutt Saab for it.

00:07:36I think that got over before this.

00:07:38And that's why Dutt Saab didn't want that to release.

00:07:40That was the issue.

00:07:42So Purnachandra Rao and him had a big tussle about the release.

00:07:46Two filmmakers fought over Sheeba.

00:07:48Yeah, that was my power.

00:07:50And Dutt Saab's film got delayed.

00:07:52For some strange reason after a few days of shoot

00:07:54Dimple was out and Rekha walked in.

00:07:56So they started again, if you remember.

00:07:58So this took more time.

00:08:00And South, they're over.

00:08:02Why would Purnachandra wait?

00:08:04And why did Dimple walk out of that?

00:08:06They had some issues.

00:08:08Dutt Saab and her.

00:08:10Maybe to do with dates.

00:08:12I don't know.

00:08:14At that time I was too young to understand these things.

00:08:16And Rekha was supposed to be the troublesome one at that time.

00:08:18And she walked in.

00:08:20And she did something

00:08:22which was already pre-shot.

00:08:24I shot that song twice.

00:08:26Once with Dimple and once with Rekha.

00:08:28Entire song.

00:08:32So you don't harbour any regrets

00:08:34about being launched

00:08:36by having been launched

00:08:38at that time.

00:08:40I harbour regrets about my choices.

00:08:42And about not being...

00:08:44Choices of?

00:08:46A husband.

00:08:48Don't specify.

00:08:52About the fact that

00:08:54I should have been more aggressive in my approach.

00:08:56I should have been more...

00:08:58I was so young

00:09:00and I was just more busy romancing.

00:09:04Actually focusing on my career.

00:09:06I was just going around

00:09:08falling in love with all my heroes.

00:09:10You were taking your work seriously.

00:09:12I took my work seriously

00:09:14but I didn't make the right choices.

00:09:16You had a very influential secretary.

00:09:18Hari Singh who was

00:09:20Sridevi's secretary.

00:09:22So work wise you were not compromising.

00:09:24But sometimes films don't do well.

00:09:26So he started making choices for me

00:09:28which Sridevi would have made

00:09:3020 years after her career.

00:09:32Which were like heroine oriented films.

00:09:34Even a newcomer hero

00:09:36because let the heroine be important

00:09:38but that wasn't the time for me.

00:09:40I should have been doing multi-star cast

00:09:42and bigger films.

00:09:44Like Suryavanshi.

00:09:46But then hindsight is 20-20.

00:09:48Suryavanshi is a great film.

00:09:50Came at the wrong time.

00:09:52I love that black chest hair and golden head hair.

00:09:54Yeah but most blondes

00:09:56if you go around the world

00:09:58will have that problem.

00:10:00Other than their head hair I have not seen

00:10:02the other hair of the blondes.

00:10:04Everybody wants to go blonde

00:10:06on their head and forget everything.

00:10:08You also think that even the films with the big heroes

00:10:10like Suryavanshi with Salman Khan

00:10:12that didn't work.

00:10:14Bond with Akshay.

00:10:16He was so apt to play Bond.

00:10:18Exactly.

00:10:20Despite your chemistry with him

00:10:22it didn't work.

00:10:24Don't you think it's also because

00:10:26things didn't work?

00:10:28Because of the wrong choices.

00:10:30I should have been more

00:10:32How can you call Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan

00:10:34wrong choices?

00:10:36Forget the hero choices

00:10:38the script choices.

00:10:40The production houses, the makers

00:10:42it's a package.

00:10:44I think Suryavanshi had Rakesh Kumar

00:10:46who was a big director.

00:10:48The point is if the film had worked

00:10:50it doesn't matter.

00:10:52You would have got 20 more films.

00:10:54Even if you had 20 more films it wouldn't have mattered.

00:10:56The trajectory would have changed.

00:10:58You worked with people like Salman Khan

00:11:00who is still a bachelor

00:11:02and you worked with

00:11:04Akshay Kumar who was a

00:11:06flirtatious bachelor at that time.

00:11:08What was it like?

00:11:10Was it fun or were they flirtatious?

00:11:12It was good fun.

00:11:14We were all young at the same time.

00:11:16Upcoming at the same time.

00:11:18Same kind of angst for films

00:11:20and work.

00:11:22All happy, lovely families.

00:11:24I was not from the city

00:11:26so I ended up spending a lot

00:11:28of time with their families as well.

00:11:30So I think that was a good part

00:11:32about that time.

00:11:34So with Akshay Kumar it was a family affair?

00:11:36Absolutely. His mom

00:11:38and my granny used to play cards every day.

00:11:40Every day patta scenes were

00:11:42on.

00:11:44She is cutting my patta.

00:11:50It was interesting.

00:11:52Even with Salman's home

00:11:54when we were not shooting I would be sitting there with uncle and aunty.

00:11:56Has the friendship with Salman

00:11:58lasted?

00:12:00No, I lost contact somewhere

00:12:02few years after marriage.

00:12:06But not that we had any

00:12:08fallout or anything.

00:12:10It just happened over time.

00:12:12Like if you are not working together

00:12:14then...

00:12:16I stopped going to film parties.

00:12:18I stopped working in movies.

00:12:20Around the time I got close to him.

00:12:22So we kind of got cut off.

00:12:24Fate only allows one of us to be friendly.

00:12:28So you continued being friends with Salman?

00:12:30Very close.

00:12:32In the night he would ask me to come to his house.

00:12:34He used to be sitting there.

00:12:36There used to be Thabu, Sajid, all his close friends.

00:12:38Rumi Jafri.

00:12:40We used to chat till morning.

00:12:42Those were the days when he was just

00:12:44beginning to get an offer to do a stage show

00:12:46for television.

00:12:48Leap side the world to us.

00:12:50Since I was a lot into TV also.

00:12:52Come I want to discuss with you.

00:12:54Zee TV said this and that.

00:12:56Otherwise also generally.

00:12:58So I remember

00:13:00he bought the ground floor

00:13:02and we did it up.

00:13:04He said come we will have dinner.

00:13:06So I went.

00:13:08Later on you can take a shot.

00:13:10It's there.

00:13:12A chair made of a heavy log of wood.

00:13:1425 years back it was not common.

00:13:16Even now it takes 4 men to carry it.

00:13:18It's not ordinary wood.

00:13:20It is solid.

00:13:22So I said wow man.

00:13:24I am a qualified interior designer.

00:13:26Salman this is a standout piece.

00:13:28We sat.

00:13:30I reached home and Sheba said

00:13:32where did you pick this from?

00:13:34Without telling me I was in his house.

00:13:36Driver has put it in from Bandra

00:13:38and it's delivered to my house.

00:13:40That is Salman.

00:13:42He wears his heart.

00:13:44Not even surprised.

00:13:46So we used to chat.

00:13:48Then we did world tours together.

00:13:54Akash what exactly did you do?

00:13:56Because I know about you

00:13:58You directed her also.

00:14:02And you were with Sahara.

00:14:04You were CEO of Sahara.

00:14:06Then you did a TV series like Karishma.

00:14:10Then you did acting.

00:14:12Now you are doing a lot of acting.

00:14:16And you come on every television debate.

00:14:22I unfortunately started off as an actor

00:14:24because my father had made 60 films.

00:14:26Produced.

00:14:28Most of which were directed by K.A. Abbas.

00:14:30Saath Hindustani.

00:14:32Amitabh Bachchan's first film was my father's.

00:14:34Do Bun Pani, Munna Pardesi.

00:14:36So

00:14:38the minute I got out of college

00:14:40they said I was decent to look at.

00:14:42And I was thin.

00:14:46So dad said

00:14:48get ready.

00:14:50I am starting a film.

00:14:52And you are being the hero.

00:14:54It didn't even strike me

00:14:56that I should have a physique or any such thing.

00:14:58And I was a little Bharati.

00:15:00I would be very honest, over confident.

00:15:02Cocky.

00:15:04Not cocky but like

00:15:06put me in front of Indira Gandhi.

00:15:08I will give her a run for money in a debate.

00:15:10I was not nervous if God came down to talk to me.

00:15:12Till today I am not nervous

00:15:14if God says I want to meet you.

00:15:16God will have to think what I have to ask Akash.

00:15:18Akash is ready.

00:15:20But today you are

00:15:22I am a female version.

00:15:24So today you

00:15:26passed that stage where your blood

00:15:28is gushing at that level

00:15:30so you think twice.

00:15:32But otherwise I was an All India Best Actor

00:15:34Award winner in school, college.

00:15:36I was in Bombay's biggest public

00:15:38debater in elocution.

00:15:40So I said okay acting

00:15:4225 pages

00:15:44when I remember

00:15:46the speech of the debate

00:15:48what is the dialogue?

00:15:50But little did I realize that

00:15:52just memorizing a dialogue

00:15:54doesn't mean you brought in those nuances

00:15:56of performance and all.

00:15:58So from acting

00:16:00I love it

00:16:02but people say that's been your drawback

00:16:04then I multitask.

00:16:06I get bored of one thing, I want to start something

00:16:08but that's the way I am

00:16:10and I am very happy.

00:16:12I don't feel that

00:16:14had I just blindly pursued direction

00:16:16I don't miss it.

00:16:18I tried that, I wanted to do production

00:16:20I wanted to do retail, I wanted to do real estate

00:16:22I loved to do stage shows

00:16:24I was learning under Alec Padamsee

00:16:26I was the first trained director after Alec Padamsee

00:16:28People didn't believe that

00:16:30theatre needs, I mean

00:16:32film shows need a director.

00:16:34Then I did the first screen awards, second screen awards

00:16:36the Sunday Observer Awards, Filmfare

00:16:38IFA, Sansui

00:16:40all these.

00:16:42Hundreds of world tours

00:16:44In between when I would get time, I directed

00:16:46Miss 420, Pyar Karo, Ghat

00:16:48Your films didn't do well

00:16:50You directed

00:16:52Ghat

00:16:54Manoj Bajpayee, Tabu, Irfan

00:16:56Irfan's debut in Bollywood

00:16:58Manoj, Irfan

00:17:00Tabu, Raveena Tandon

00:17:02Sheeba, Anupam Kher

00:17:04Om Puri

00:17:06all National Award winners

00:17:08Excellent music, the film did well

00:17:10but just when

00:17:12appreciation started, I got a call from Zahara

00:17:14that we want a CEO

00:17:16and there was no CEO in Bollywood in that time

00:17:18Had I not and hung around, in 6 months

00:17:20I would have signed 6 films because people did like Ghat

00:17:22and yes

00:17:24it

00:17:26turned up

00:17:28well

00:17:30If the producer had more money, he gave his best

00:17:32Kumar Mohan, he gave his best to the film

00:17:34but had we had bigger budgets

00:17:36we would have probably made it a little more opulent

00:17:38but it didn't require that

00:17:40It all shaped up well

00:17:44Why didn't you make films in Zahara?

00:17:46I was

00:17:48curating films

00:17:50I did in 4 and a half, 5 years

00:17:52I made 36 films

00:17:54Who makes 36 films?

00:17:56But you didn't direct

00:17:58I was doing my

00:18:00life's most

00:18:02cherished project for Zahara

00:18:04as a director

00:18:06I signed Ram Gopal Verma

00:18:08I signed Ram Gopal Verma for 10 films

00:18:10I got busy with that

00:18:12but I will confess today

00:18:14I was doing what I still think is my life's

00:18:16most favourite

00:18:18film to adapt and that is Fedora

00:18:20about the ageing actress

00:18:22still living in that world

00:18:24and Aishwarya Rai was to do it

00:18:26and Mr Subrata Roy had said, you are the only person

00:18:28I will give my Lucknow house to, that will be Fedora's house

00:18:30That was a palace

00:18:32Even in Karishma

00:18:34I was the only man allowed to shoot in Ambivalley

00:18:36Even Yashji

00:18:38they all wanted to shoot

00:18:40because Ambivalley was one of the new

00:18:42it was like a foreign location, only I was shot

00:18:44So in that process

00:18:46while making films

00:18:48I was the

00:18:50creative producer on behalf of Zahara

00:18:52there was a lot of homework

00:18:54I never used to go on sets

00:18:56even when I launched my associate director Mayank

00:18:58who was my associate

00:19:00in Santabanta, my last release

00:19:02then he wanted a debut

00:19:04so we made Breathe

00:19:06if you remember the Amazon series

00:19:08Mayank directed

00:19:10so when I put him to trial

00:19:12Madhavan

00:19:14second and third was Abhishek

00:19:16so when I put him to trial I had a show on air

00:19:18on Sony, Bhoot Aaya

00:19:20so I said go

00:19:22direct this episode

00:19:24so he said ok sir

00:19:26I didn't go even one day

00:19:28because I am a director myself

00:19:30if I have somebody on my head

00:19:32I have a little conscience and won't give it my best

00:19:34the minute Sony

00:19:36saw the episode and said

00:19:38boss get all episodes done

00:19:40by this guy

00:19:42so we knew

00:19:44it's a different story that Breathe was to be a film

00:19:46we pitched it to Mr. Bachchan

00:19:48to play the grandfather, parents are dead

00:19:50so he knows he's old, he's going

00:19:52so I might as well kill people

00:19:54if I can bring the list up for the lung donor

00:19:56that's the subject of that

00:19:58things didn't work out

00:20:00that's how eventually Amazon

00:20:02wanted to launch and I met Vikram Malhotra

00:20:04and he said let's do a long format

00:20:06and Mayank was

00:20:08very disappointed because

00:20:10after you're an assistant and then an

00:20:12associate and Mayank was also with David Dabal

00:20:14so after that

00:20:16your next graduation is you want to direct a film

00:20:18what is this web series

00:20:20nobody knew

00:20:22Padmavath had less hoardings than Breathe

00:20:24it released on the same day

00:20:26we were on web and then Mayank

00:20:28gave us the power, 220 countries

00:20:30see when you want

00:20:32we got a letter from Jeff Bezos

00:20:34thanking us for our product

00:20:36so those were early days

00:20:38and that too a feature film with Mr. Bachchan

00:20:40we wanted

00:20:42I was very very keen

00:20:46but isn't it incredible

00:20:48how things just morphed

00:20:50you started with an idea but what happened

00:20:52and then Vikram said

00:20:54let's do a long format

00:20:56Amazon asked him to do something

00:20:58in those days Vikram had made two very good films

00:21:00Baby and Airlift

00:21:04the last two good movies of Akshay Kumar

00:21:06no no no

00:21:08after that which other good films

00:21:10no no, Padman, Household 4

00:21:14Toilet was also good

00:21:16don't speak like that about my friend

00:21:18no no that was a good film

00:21:20and about your ex

00:21:22that man is also good

00:21:24beautiful soul, good guy

00:21:26leave all this aside

00:21:28you ask me, I don't want to be politically correct

00:21:30I desire to be seen

00:21:32next to Shah Rukh Khan in a long role

00:21:34but my favourite co-star

00:21:36will always be Akshay Kumar

00:21:38he makes it so comfortable for you

00:21:42Household 5

00:21:48and the best thing I like about Akshay

00:21:50and I watch him in the present tense

00:21:52I am directing Miss 420

00:21:54I am this new kid on the block

00:21:56people say screen award

00:21:58this guy Shah Rukh

00:22:00when he is free is on my set

00:22:02Akshay is on my set

00:22:04and I know Akshay from then

00:22:06I don't judge him from then

00:22:08today when I work with him I realise what a big star

00:22:12look at his body of work, so many films

00:22:14look at the amount of years he spent

00:22:16also what a confident co-star

00:22:18to the extent

00:22:20when I read a scene and say this is hilarious

00:22:22you take the line

00:22:24no you take this

00:22:26he is so

00:22:28secure

00:22:30these guys who are brands

00:22:32irrespective of values

00:22:34those days of insecurity

00:22:36Rajesh Khanna at his peak was insecure

00:22:38that's what I am thinking

00:22:40an actor by nature

00:22:42will be insecure even now

00:22:44the number game never gets over

00:22:46the living Friday to Friday

00:22:48whether it was a hit or not

00:22:50is still scary

00:22:52off lit look at the

00:22:54before Jawan and Patan how many films of Shah Rukh crashed

00:22:56but he is not an actor

00:22:58who is rated by

00:23:00Friday collection

00:23:02these guys have now become thousands of crores of brands

00:23:04Hindustan Lever

00:23:06introduces a toothpaste

00:23:08that doesn't work

00:23:10it will be off the shelf but Hindustan Lever

00:23:12doesn't lose its brand value

00:23:14Shah Rukh, Akshay, Aamir

00:23:16these are the last of the big stars

00:23:18they are brands

00:23:20God forbid anyone flop

00:23:22but one flop they can sustain

00:23:24because body of work

00:23:26all of them are inching closer to 60

00:23:28and they have lasted

00:23:30all entered around 20, 21

00:23:3240 years

00:23:34who lasts

00:23:36these 4-5 people are in actors

00:23:38and still a hero

00:23:40and you still enjoy them on screen

00:23:42not that

00:23:44he is a hero but didn't enjoy

00:23:46superb

00:23:48Sheeba, you want to go back

00:23:50to your acting days

00:23:52I mean you are still an actress

00:23:54what I meant was as a heroine

00:23:56when

00:23:58films didn't work

00:24:00or wrong choices

00:24:02films didn't work

00:24:04and you started getting side roles

00:24:06instead of heroines

00:24:08how did you feel?

00:24:10so when I was

00:24:12in my prime and doing films

00:24:14as a main lead

00:24:16the minute I felt this is not working out

00:24:18new story began

00:24:20I cut that story

00:24:22I didn't want to be sidelined

00:24:24and start doing

00:24:26that is why you

00:24:28caught me, fill in the blanks

00:24:30stop gap

00:24:36I didn't do it

00:24:38I did parallel leads

00:24:40and item songs

00:24:46and then I realized I wasn't enjoying that feeling

00:24:48I started crying

00:24:50the last item song I did

00:24:52was in

00:24:54Nadiyad wala film

00:24:58Akshay tha usme bhi

00:25:02I can't remember

00:25:04which one it was

00:25:06Saroj ji was directing the song

00:25:08but suddenly in the middle of the song

00:25:10I started crying and crying

00:25:12and they had to stop the shooting

00:25:14and then the producer had to come

00:25:16and cajole me

00:25:18relax you will get movies after this

00:25:20while doing that song I realized

00:25:22this is it for me

00:25:24item songs were over

00:25:26so I started crying

00:25:28couldn't shoot that day

00:25:30I cried so much that my career was over

00:25:32and why did I cry?

00:25:36suddenly I realized the item song

00:25:38was in a villain's den

00:25:40and that time it was a big thing

00:25:42so I cried so much

00:25:44and packed up the shooting

00:25:46and I think

00:25:48around that point I said

00:25:50that was my swan song

00:25:52that's over

00:25:54I said no I won't do it again

00:25:56how did you get used to the idea?

00:25:58I didn't get used to the idea

00:26:00I felt very belittled

00:26:02and very small

00:26:04and terrible about it

00:26:06so then I realized

00:26:08rather than do little bit

00:26:10rubbish work just quit

00:26:12but you also said

00:26:14when you signed a film

00:26:16and went for the shooting

00:26:18I didn't go for the shooting

00:26:20it was almost like a slip

00:26:22between the cup and the lip

00:26:24and you got to know

00:26:26that you are not in that film

00:26:28so you started getting signs

00:26:30that it's not going well

00:26:36I was still naive

00:26:38I still didn't understand

00:26:40that there is a game to this

00:26:42there is a way that

00:26:44girls have to suck up to

00:26:46the correct people to get work

00:26:48I didn't understand that

00:26:50I should have

00:26:52I was young but not that stupid also

00:26:54but apparently I was

00:26:56what is this Dubai connection?

00:26:58you always talk about Dubai

00:27:00I was born and brought up there

00:27:02I did all my schooling there

00:27:04my parents had their business there

00:27:06so that's where I lived

00:27:08that was my home

00:27:12I was directing a cricket match

00:27:14Bollywood stars

00:27:16the bomb blast happened

00:27:18so this was the

00:27:201993 Bombay blast

00:27:22so

00:27:24it became an issue

00:27:26we were scheduled to have

00:27:28this match and we were expecting

00:27:30a full house because we had every

00:27:32leading actor from

00:27:34Dilip Saab to Shahrukh Khan

00:27:36and name them

00:27:38everybody was there playing the match

00:27:40heroines and because of

00:27:42this issue

00:27:44I believe in Dubai there was an announcement

00:27:46that nobody will go for the match

00:27:48so

00:27:50Dilip Saab tried to make

00:27:52requests to people

00:27:54general appeals to people

00:27:56Raj Babbar, Mithun

00:27:58but unfortunately nobody came

00:28:00and we still had to have the match

00:28:02and it got

00:28:04the

00:28:06promoter into such diastrates

00:28:08that you know next

00:28:10day morning he said guys

00:28:12time to vacate

00:28:14take your

00:28:16get

00:28:18earlier flights

00:28:20I have lost everything

00:28:22I am bleeding

00:28:24I can't keep anyone for an extra day

00:28:26normally promoters don't do this

00:28:28so

00:28:30the Venus family

00:28:32Shahrukh Gauri

00:28:34they were there and you know

00:28:36during this time Bazigar was there

00:28:38it had not yet

00:28:40become what it is

00:28:42today a cult movie

00:28:44probably Shahrukh

00:28:46I didn't realize he has become such a big star

00:28:48and

00:28:50he said

00:28:52I want to stay for 1-2 days

00:28:54early days for him also

00:28:56so Shiva said I have a lovely apartment

00:28:58across the lake you can come and stay there

00:29:00so he was more than sweet

00:29:02and she had a big massive 4 bedroom 5 bedroom house

00:29:04so

00:29:06it is bad

00:29:08that I had to stay in a hotel

00:29:12we weren't married

00:29:14you got married in 96

00:29:16and this is 93

00:29:18we weren't dating each other then

00:29:20no we weren't

00:29:22we were not in Dubai

00:29:24oh at the end of that trip me and Himalaya came

00:29:26and I gave you one first gift from there

00:29:28to set things rolling

00:29:30so we weren't dating

00:29:32so he stayed there

00:29:34so I said both of them come and stay home

00:29:36so they stayed at home

00:29:38so what was he like as a guest

00:29:40absolutely lovely

00:29:42we were all so much more chilled out

00:29:44in the 90s you know we were all friends

00:29:46and we used to hang out together

00:29:48till today Bharti

00:29:50gentleman to the core

00:29:52intelligent to the core

00:29:54such a

00:29:56brilliant person

00:29:58he deserves every bit of this

00:30:00I believe he asked you for the title

00:30:02donkey

00:30:04see I

00:30:06during covid I spent

00:30:08the first one and a half years

00:30:10when I

00:30:12when I met somebody who said you know

00:30:14I have a friend who has just

00:30:16been thrown out of America trying to illegally

00:30:18enter America

00:30:20so I asked him how was he going to America illegally

00:30:22so he said I didn't even know

00:30:24it happens, it's like a donkey route

00:30:26you go from Punjab to Istanbul

00:30:28from there you get a fake passport

00:30:30from there they drop you to Panama

00:30:32then there is no guarantee you will

00:30:34make it, there is only 2% survival rate

00:30:36but you go from Panama,

00:30:38Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica

00:30:40Mexico and then you try to

00:30:42jump the wall anytime

00:30:44in the next 1-2-3 years

00:30:46otherwise you are living in a gutter below Mexico

00:30:50and on the way

00:30:52you can die of a bee attack or an alligator

00:30:54attack when you are passing lakes

00:30:56or you are drinking contaminated

00:30:58water so you will die of diarrhoea

00:31:00bee bite, malaria

00:31:02but still people used to go

00:31:04I am saying there are 5000

00:31:06Indians going every month

00:31:08and there is no body and there is no road

00:31:10you are just going

00:31:12let me tell you that

00:31:14you carry water biscuits with you

00:31:16because it's like 3 months of walk

00:31:18there comes a time when you run out of water and biscuits

00:31:20and there is no

00:31:22lake or pond coming nearby

00:31:24you start staring

00:31:26when will somebody feel like peeing

00:31:28and I collect the pee and I drink it

00:31:30I will die of thirst otherwise

00:31:32these are facts

00:31:34when I collected about

00:31:361000 videos, it's all available on the net

00:31:38it's like skeletons

00:31:40sitting on a tree

00:31:42somebody must have taken a break

00:31:44that I am dying or I am tired

00:31:46the rule of the donkey route passage is

00:31:48that if someone is sick, you have to leave him

00:31:50because the whole group

00:31:52if you are going in a group of 15 people

00:31:54if one is sick, then 14 will not stop

00:31:56there are border patrols

00:31:58drug traffickers, there is a lot

00:32:00it was the same in the film goat life

00:32:02so I spent

00:32:04the best of covid

00:32:06instead of being frustrated

00:32:08we called a writer

00:32:10and we

00:32:12wrote season 1, season 2, season 3

00:32:14and season 4

00:32:16the donkey route

00:32:18about 15 people from different states

00:32:20who get together and from Delhi

00:32:22they go to Istanbul and then what happened

00:32:24and everyone's back story

00:32:26why would you burn your bridge and go

00:32:28and take this path where there is only 2% survival rate

00:32:30correct

00:32:32so what happened?

00:32:34Netflix approved it

00:32:36now it's gone for reappraisal

00:32:38it's like they've signed

00:32:40we signed Ritesh Shah

00:32:42I am doing it with Bani J

00:32:44I was supposed to do it

00:32:46it has to start soon

00:32:48so you direct it yourself?

00:32:50no

00:32:52you gotta have a director with his boots on

00:32:54you can't do it now

00:32:56no I signed

00:32:58why am I forgetting his name

00:33:00I loved his films

00:33:02Osama

00:33:04Abhishek

00:33:06no the Iranian filmmaker

00:33:08even Majid Majidi

00:33:10assisted him when he used to be free

00:33:12I called him

00:33:14he made opium fields

00:33:16and all that

00:33:18of Afghanistan

00:33:20Iranian film?

00:33:22Siddique Barma

00:33:24he is taking

00:33:26shelter in Paris

00:33:28after he did opium fields

00:33:30they issued a fatwa

00:33:32so

00:33:34I wrote Donkey Root

00:33:36got an approval on Netflix

00:33:38it's right now in the cold storage

00:33:40despite them having given enough money

00:33:42for reasons best known to Bani J

00:33:44who are my partners in handling

00:33:46anyway that point was

00:33:48at that time we said

00:33:50Donkey Root

00:33:52the road to death

00:33:54what happened to Siddique

00:33:56he was a Punjabi

00:33:58so he would say Donkey

00:34:00I got to know he was doing Donkey

00:34:02so I did it

00:34:08coincidentally

00:34:10Rajkumar Hirani thought on the same lines

00:34:12then Shah Rukh said

00:34:14Donkey

00:34:16Shah Rukh said apply

00:34:18it's an oddball title

00:34:20he said no

00:34:22Shah Rukh said

00:34:24Donkey

00:34:26don't talk

00:34:28so this is also an incident

00:34:30so Shah Rukh called you

00:34:32I will tell you that incident

00:34:34I was in my office

00:34:36editing room

00:34:38if I wanted to

00:34:40make a presentation

00:34:42I was making it at 9 at night

00:34:44with my editor

00:34:46unknown number

00:34:48I picked it up

00:34:50fatso Shah Rukh

00:34:54who is playing a prank with me at 9

00:34:56I have done 3 world tours with Shah Rukh

00:34:58I was there with Vivek Vaswani

00:35:00to receive him when he came to Bombay for the first time

00:35:02we stopped to have breakfast

00:35:04at Jaya Pradha's house

00:35:06I know him from then off and on

00:35:08but in between

00:35:10Shah Rukh

00:35:12I hung up

00:35:14as polite as he always is

00:35:16listen I think I have caught you at a wrong time

00:35:18save my number

00:35:20I am not on whatsapp

00:35:22I am on message

00:35:24so when you will be free

00:35:26I will call you

00:35:28by then I understood

00:35:30I said no sorry

00:35:32I just thought somebody is playing a prank with me

00:35:34you still like me

00:35:36you like to sleep at 5 in the morning

00:35:38I said ya I never sleep

00:35:40work or no work

00:35:42we will have dinner together

00:35:44then tell me why

00:35:46he is so well informed

00:35:48absolutely

00:35:50how is Sheeba

00:35:52what are the kids doing

00:35:54one went to US, one went to London

00:35:56my kids also went

00:35:58in the second meeting

00:36:00I asked

00:36:02do you have donkey

00:36:04I said yes I am doing a web series for Netflix

00:36:06donkey route

00:36:08I even registered a donkey for that

00:36:10so I said

00:36:12sure

00:36:14let's do one thing

00:36:16you are free now

00:36:18I said yes

00:36:20I said

00:36:22I will call Rajkumar Hirani

00:36:24Joshi went

00:36:26I will call her

00:36:28you listen to me

00:36:30and I will listen to you

00:36:32so that we don't have the same elements

00:36:34I am for you

00:36:36you are for me

00:36:38for 4 days

00:36:40I need an audience

00:36:42and after a long time

00:36:44I picked up the pen and started

00:36:46so I did a little screenplay

00:36:48dialogue of 8

00:36:5032 episodes were ready

00:36:52I am still saying anybody go and shoot it

00:36:54it will be the biggest show

00:36:56because there is a reason

00:36:58for every back story

00:37:00why did I come to Bangladeshi

00:37:02why did I leave my home

00:37:04plus the journey itself is so gruesome

00:37:06then one brother gets caught

00:37:08then the other brother goes to find him

00:37:10somebody is going to just make it

00:37:12because you just narrated the whole story

00:37:18so you narrated your story

00:37:20he narrated his story

00:37:22and finally

00:37:24his office said sir

00:37:26money

00:37:28one title that I know I am not using

00:37:30I am using donkey route

00:37:32the caption is the road to death

00:37:34I am not using donkey

00:37:36I will take some money from Shahrukh Khan

00:37:38okay

00:37:40so that happened between Shahrukh and you

00:37:42so he was so touched

00:37:44I said don't be silly

00:37:46but that is again

00:37:50when we hear these stories

00:37:52we know it is very possible

00:37:54and I joked with him

00:37:56I think the public

00:37:58perception of these actors is worse

00:38:00than they actually are

00:38:02they are actually really good

00:38:04I always tell people

00:38:06I say

00:38:08they are different with three people

00:38:10but one on one

00:38:12they are fabulous people

00:38:14completely

00:38:16at the IFA awards in Macau

00:38:18we were partying in a suite 4-5 in the morning

00:38:20he was chatting with me

00:38:22so I said you know

00:38:24whenever I read your interview

00:38:26I feel I should have said this

00:38:28wherever I see

00:38:30I should have said this

00:38:32you and me are so similar

00:38:34you and me

00:38:36you are the successful Shahrukh Khan

00:38:38I am the failed Shahrukh Khan

00:38:40but we think alike

00:38:42you can't have two Shahrukh Khans

00:38:44you are so sweet

00:38:46I said no no

00:38:48that's how

00:38:50and they were very sweet

00:38:52they gave me a credit in the movie

00:38:54I would have preferred a role

00:38:56but Hirani said

00:38:58that didn't happen with you

00:39:00Hirani was in communication with me

00:39:02he was so sweet

00:39:04and he said

00:39:06I can't give you one scene

00:39:08I have seen you

00:39:10as a night manager

00:39:12as a prince

00:39:14I can't give you one scene

00:39:16let the pressure be on Shahrukh

00:39:18and Rajwan Hirani

00:39:20but you didn't

00:39:22take any picture of Shahrukh

00:39:24Shahrukh called me for zero

00:39:26one scene

00:39:28in the party

00:39:30with Reena and Abhay Deol

00:39:32so

00:39:34again he saw me doing the Facebook ad

00:39:36which had become hugely popular

00:39:38I became the first Indian actor to model for Facebook

00:39:40they released an ad campaign

00:39:42and it went like 18 million views

00:39:44so he called and said

00:39:46Mutti you still act after Direction

00:39:48I said no I got an ad

00:39:50it was my first ad

00:39:52after that I got plenty of ads

00:39:54so he said he will do a cameo

00:39:56I said really?

00:39:58so in between

00:40:00you guys

00:40:02had some communication

00:40:04Bharti what happens

00:40:08if I see her in a party

00:40:10today actors have become so big

00:40:12they are surrounded by stars

00:40:14and security

00:40:16so you see Shahrukh sitting on that table

00:40:18all the actors are sitting

00:40:20all the poor actors

00:40:22take their security to the party

00:40:24there is no one left in the safe

00:40:26so all of them

00:40:28Shahrukh is sitting on a table

00:40:30I remember we went to someone's wedding

00:40:32in Bollywood

00:40:34me, Pankaj Udas, Sheeba

00:40:36Himalaya, Bhagishree

00:40:38we were all on a table

00:40:40security came

00:40:42Arjun Rampal, Shahrukh Khan

00:40:44came and sat on that table

00:40:46now we were talking

00:40:48eye contact

00:40:50I don't know if he can see

00:40:52I have a number

00:40:54he can't see

00:40:56so Sheeba said

00:40:58go and talk to him

00:41:00you are so fond of him

00:41:02I said no

00:41:04breaking the cordon

00:41:06hello sir

00:41:08you won't believe

00:41:10after 3 minutes he came

00:41:12I felt so ashamed

00:41:14I could have done the same thing

00:41:16hi ma'am, hi Akash

00:41:18how are you

00:41:20Pankaj ji

00:41:22we

00:41:24were not going out of shame

00:41:26Shahrukh melts you

00:41:28very gracious person

00:41:30no doubt about it

00:41:32class

00:41:34elegance

00:41:36I am not being diplomatic

00:41:38Salman is a baby at heart

00:41:40innocent baby

00:41:42what would you say

00:41:44when I worked with him

00:41:46he was that only

00:41:48childish, fun, prankster

00:41:50I have seen that era

00:41:52tell us a prank

00:41:54he used to do a lot with me

00:41:56plus with his make up man

00:41:58so my habit is

00:42:00after every meal

00:42:02I would do yoga even back then

00:42:04so I would sit in Malasan

00:42:06in between shots

00:42:08I am sitting in Malasan

00:42:10he was so naughty

00:42:12he would come from behind

00:42:14and keep a bowl next to me

00:42:16and everybody

00:42:18would look at me laughing

00:42:20and I was like what is this

00:42:22that crouching in Malasan

00:42:24I didn't mean from the

00:42:26prank point of view

00:42:28more than the prank point of view

00:42:30I felt that he wears his heart on his sleeve

00:42:34Salman

00:42:36once also on the set

00:42:38there was a stunt to be done

00:42:40and I was getting very scared

00:42:42and I said no I can't do it

00:42:44so he said to me if I do it, you will do it

00:42:46so he went and did the stunt

00:42:48and then he looked

00:42:50I was standing up

00:42:52I was supposed to jump off

00:42:54the shot was that Amrita Singh

00:42:56pushes me from behind

00:42:58and I fall down a couple of stories

00:43:00at that time

00:43:02we used to put boxes

00:43:04we were very primitive

00:43:06so he said I will jump and show you

00:43:08nothing happens

00:43:10very enthu about work

00:43:12so he jumped

00:43:14see I jumped

00:43:16I am okay, I am fine

00:43:18everything is okay

00:43:20roll camera

00:43:22action

00:43:24I jumped

00:43:26I was shocked

00:43:28with the impact

00:43:30there is a way to fall on the ground

00:43:32I was so shocked

00:43:34I started screaming

00:43:36I said what the hell

00:43:38I was shocked

00:43:40but I said if I tell you

00:43:42so I think

00:43:44that was quite a prank to pull

00:43:46on me but he was very

00:43:48sweet and good fun

00:43:50I think he remains one

00:43:52I mean life

00:43:54obviously has changed for all of them

00:43:56success has taken them elsewhere

00:43:58but I think essentially

00:44:00we bump into each other

00:44:02I remember last we were at

00:44:04Anand Pandit's birthday party and he walked

00:44:06in and he was walking up to the stage to give

00:44:08to say a few words

00:44:10suddenly he saw Sheeba

00:44:12standing there in the VIP section

00:44:14with us and Abhishek, Kartik

00:44:16and Tiger we were all

00:44:18immediately stopped and called out to her

00:44:20met her, saw me

00:44:22he could have kept walking

00:44:24Shah Rukh group security

00:44:26came and hugged me

00:44:28so the point is

00:44:30they are all very sweet

00:44:32and it is very sad my own friends

00:44:34I remember taking a friend of mine

00:44:36at the Makaon

00:44:38to give the IFA awards up to Shah Rukh's room

00:44:40where the after party was being held

00:44:42so later when Shah Rukh

00:44:44was all set, everyone was on the dance floor

00:44:46Shah Rukh came and stood

00:44:48so I said Shah Rukh my friend from Bombay

00:44:50he is a big car dealer

00:44:52and those car dealers were sponsoring that time's

00:44:54IFA so he won a ticket because

00:44:56he was the largest sale guy in

00:44:58Bombay

00:45:00Vasant Ford, Chembur

00:45:02so

00:45:04I said related to me

00:45:06and also big fans of yours

00:45:08I had to say it

00:45:10so Shah Rukh was very sweet

00:45:12he said Shah Rukh

00:45:14after meeting you now I realised

00:45:16I used to think he is such a rude person

00:45:18he is such a rude

00:45:20arrogant person

00:45:22he doesn't know you

00:45:24what do you expect him to fall at your feet and prove to you

00:45:26that he is nice, he is saying that to Shah Rukh

00:45:28on his face, but today when I am seeing you

00:45:30my god you are such a wonderful guy

00:45:32so my point that I am trying to make is

00:45:34those who don't know these actors

00:45:36and are not given the table with them or the chair with them

00:45:38they just make up their mind that he is rude

00:45:40now you have been

00:45:42there for so long Bharti

00:45:44before us Sanju

00:45:46people thought you are very arrogant

00:45:48you meet him like a baby

00:45:50Jaggu, Akki, Salman

00:45:52Shah we are talking about guys who have lasted

00:45:5440 years they are so beautiful people

00:45:56such beautiful people

00:45:58Abhishek

00:46:00there is an epitome of culture

00:46:02good manners

00:46:04the way he has brought

00:46:06all of them

00:46:08his father, that's where it has come from

00:46:10you spoke of Mr. Bachchan

00:46:12when my father was making Saath Hindustani

00:46:14Sunil Dutt

00:46:16had his preview theatre at Ajanta

00:46:18where he used to stay

00:46:20so he said Manmohanji

00:46:22bring the boxes

00:46:24I heard he is an interesting actor

00:46:26I want a second hero in Reshma Aur Shera

00:46:28so the cameramen were the same

00:46:30Ramchanderji

00:46:32Dutt and my father's cameramen were the same

00:46:34I was a kid

00:46:36I went along

00:46:38in 1972

00:46:40we went

00:46:42Saath Hindustani was shown

00:46:44after the trial

00:46:46my father and he started drinking

00:46:48we were sitting in Ajanta's lobby

00:46:50Sunil Dutt was saying

00:46:52Manmohanji is an intense guy

00:46:54but what will I do with this

00:46:56mountain crow's voice

00:46:58I told him

00:47:00I am shooting a look

00:47:02and Bachchan signed Reshma Aur Shera

00:47:04in which he was dumb

00:47:06if you call him Amitabh Bachchan

00:47:08and make him dumb

00:47:10this is called time

00:47:12there is time

00:47:14there is perception

00:47:16Tarachand Bajajji said

00:47:18like a camel

00:47:20go and write your poetry

00:47:22like your dad

00:47:24so you are happy

00:47:26Salman you were the last two qualified

00:47:28for Rajshri's acting

00:47:30out of 20

00:47:32I remember there was another actor

00:47:34Kamran Rizvi

00:47:36Shabana Azmi

00:47:38Vicky Khan

00:47:40he does shows in Lagos

00:47:42there were a lot of people

00:47:44I did it for love

00:47:46no no you must hear this

00:47:48it was in Salman's destiny

00:47:50it was a super hit

00:47:52Govind Munishji

00:47:54after that

00:47:56Babul was making a Hindi film

00:47:58Upasana

00:48:00Salman and I auditioned

00:48:02with thin moustache

00:48:06Sachin Rajkiran's thin moustache

00:48:08was his trademark

00:48:10Rajbabu

00:48:12used to tell me

00:48:16Akashji you please stay back

00:48:18Govind Munishji said hello sir

00:48:20he said you are selected

00:48:22Salman was not selected

00:48:24and I was called for Pratighat

00:48:26but who was the lady in Pratighat

00:48:28Sujata Mehta

00:48:30Akash you look like a kid in front of Sujata Mehta

00:48:32Govind Munishji saw me in the office

00:48:34and I got Babul's son

00:48:36and I got Salman

00:48:38this is destiny

00:48:40this is destiny

00:48:44Sheema in your acting career

00:48:46when you did

00:48:48some films

00:48:50which is your favourite

00:48:52and why

00:48:54I enjoyed making

00:48:56Suryavanshi

00:48:58I enjoyed making Pyaar Ka Saaya

00:49:02then I enjoyed making Naachne Wale Gaane Wale

00:49:04a lot because that was like

00:49:06a tailor made role for me

00:49:08Pyaar Ka Saaya, Naachne Wale Gaane Wale

00:49:10were decent films

00:49:12they did reasonable

00:49:14I played a boy for half the movie

00:49:16I had a great time

00:49:18I would do the films

00:49:20with my full attention

00:49:22and capacity

00:49:24but I liked your track in Ghaat and Dum

00:49:26Ghaat and Dum

00:49:28by then I started doing

00:49:30those were just intense parts

00:49:32I wasn't playing the hero

00:49:34you were only doing glam roles

00:49:36to suddenly do intense emotions

00:49:38in fact she was a favourite for all

00:49:40we used to have those centre spreads

00:49:42we used to like to use Sheeba

00:49:44because Sheeba had a good figure

00:49:46and she was always very glamorous

00:49:48so we used to do blow ups

00:49:50we used to shoot

00:49:52absolutely

00:49:54so many of those

00:49:56actually that also happened

00:49:58because I had done Yaag Kab Bujhegi

00:50:00so Hari ji who started

00:50:02looking after my work subsequently

00:50:04said that this is not right

00:50:06this role

00:50:08Dhan Saab has taken

00:50:10but now you will get all the parts of Bhabhi and Maa

00:50:12that was a concern

00:50:14that was the opposite

00:50:16Shakti Kapoor

00:50:18so to change that image

00:50:20that saree clad

00:50:22neither I was of that age

00:50:24nor I was that narrow minded

00:50:26so we did

00:50:28a glamorous photo shoot

00:50:30and luckily that image

00:50:32stuck and that people forgot

00:50:34that I was a deglamorized

00:50:36in fact no one remembers

00:50:38that my first film was a deglamorized

00:50:40housewives film

00:50:42I saw that film

00:50:44at that time I didn't know you

00:50:46but I must say that sequence in the end

00:50:48when you are dying when they burnt you

00:50:50for a non film background girl

00:50:52first film to do that

00:50:54Aage Peeche Rekha

00:50:56Dhan Saab you get overawed

00:50:58was well done

00:51:00that burning sequence that touched you

00:51:02my father could never see the film completely

00:51:04every time my burning sequence would

00:51:06start he would start howling

00:51:08and turn the movie off

00:51:10that film and Dhan Saab

00:51:12trained me by doing method acting

00:51:14during that entire climax he refused

00:51:16to allow me to speak normally to people

00:51:18I was like punished in a corner

00:51:20be in your character, cry, sit there

00:51:22be morose, understand your lines

00:51:24understand what's going to happen to this girl

00:51:26you got this training

00:51:28I got this training

00:51:30at that time there was no phone

00:51:32distraction

00:51:34I will get distracted and start

00:51:36chit chatting but even chit chatting

00:51:38he said no

00:51:40you are in the middle of this climax

00:51:42be in your character

00:51:44I was started with method acting

00:51:46in my career

00:51:48you learnt something

00:51:50but for career that was not the right thing

00:51:52hence those centre spreads

00:51:54happened

00:51:56I am not that person

00:51:58I am a young girl

00:52:00I am a glamorous girl I can do glamorous parts

00:52:02so that was

00:52:04a reinvention of that

00:52:06the women who came in the first part

00:52:08now the two of you

00:52:10have started doing

00:52:12cameo roles

00:52:14in Rocky Rani

00:52:16I think

00:52:18that has got you more fame

00:52:20than all those

00:52:22films where you were a heroine

00:52:24you got more fame

00:52:26because of that

00:52:28ironically that's true

00:52:30yes really

00:52:32what you did with Dharmendra

00:52:34but the reason is

00:52:36at that time there was no social media

00:52:38and at that time there was a lot of fame

00:52:40I am not going to say that it was not there

00:52:42I was amongst the top girls

00:52:44of the time

00:52:46but at that time there was no social media

00:52:48everything was not so viral

00:52:50and again banner

00:52:52now see when I am doing a cameo

00:52:54I am very sure about which banner I am touching

00:52:56it's how the film

00:52:58is presented and how it's going to get released

00:53:00and how many people are actually going to end up

00:53:02watching it that makes such a big difference

00:53:04I will do a very big part

00:53:06of an obscure filmmaker

00:53:08in an obscure film

00:53:10just because I am carried away as an actor

00:53:12that I can do this

00:53:14and I want to do a heroine oriented

00:53:16what's the use if no one goes to see it

00:53:18so it's okay I will do a cameo

00:53:20with a big director

00:53:22that somewhere at least people will see it

00:53:24so actually how did Karan

00:53:26think of you for that role?

00:53:28it was small but

00:53:30the glamorous image was

00:53:32there

00:53:34it was very sweet when

00:53:36they got a call from Dharma's office

00:53:38that there is this cameo

00:53:40and

00:53:42he was already locked for some other part

00:53:44in the movie and then

00:53:46they figured that I was his wife and they said

00:53:48there is a cameo which Karan wants you to do

00:53:50but the only thing is

00:53:52that there is a kissing scene in it

00:53:54initially when I signed it there was a

00:53:56lip to lip lock

00:53:58so I was like

00:54:02they didn't tell me who it would be with

00:54:04they said it will be with an A-list actor

00:54:06we can't tell you obviously

00:54:08for XYZ reasons

00:54:10I said I will revert to you

00:54:12you know what she did when she told them I will revert

00:54:14one night we were having dinner

00:54:16my son from the US was down

00:54:18my younger son was still in India

00:54:20and she and me four of us were sitting on the

00:54:22dining table and she said guys listen

00:54:24papa is doing that Rocky or Rani

00:54:26proposed a role to me

00:54:28small cameo but very important

00:54:30and it's the turning point

00:54:32because after that the story opens

00:54:34so

00:54:36sure do it

00:54:38my kids were very happy

00:54:40the whole world will see

00:54:42Alia, Ranveer

00:54:44but there is a lip to lip kiss

00:54:46with Dharamji

00:54:48no I didn't say Dharamji

00:54:50I didn't know

00:54:52so

00:54:54my sons

00:54:56had a small little smile

00:54:58mom it's acting

00:55:00more than the two sons it was the father

00:55:02who was looking

00:55:04I am still a 90's girl

00:55:06and I was the center spread girl

00:55:08but now I have a propriety

00:55:10that I cannot make my family

00:55:12embarrassed with anything I do

00:55:14just for the heck of doing a part

00:55:16I can't say it's okay

00:55:18but we have all evolved with time

00:55:20we all said go ahead

00:55:22I will do a lip to lip on the cheek

00:55:24on the set it was okay

00:55:26we all know it's acting

00:55:28Dharamji said they took a creative call

00:55:30maybe it will become too creepy throughout the film

00:55:32if he is just lip lopping with every

00:55:34different girls

00:55:36and one with Shabana

00:55:38that was enough

00:55:40that was beautiful

00:55:42but if it would have happened

00:55:44I think that was a creative call

00:55:46that they took during the shooting

00:55:48but they had made me sign the contract

00:55:50they will be a lip to lip

00:55:52it's not like I make drama on the set

00:55:54that's how it happened

00:55:56but I was glad I did it

00:55:58because it was such a sweet little role

00:56:00it brings a smile on your face

00:56:02but what is this package deal

00:56:04with Dharma

00:56:06after that you did Jigra

00:56:08what happens is

00:56:10when I go on set

00:56:12normally I take her to do my hair

00:56:14which is not there

00:56:16that's why

00:56:18so I said okay

00:56:20after that what did we do together

00:56:22Jigra

00:56:24again Karan Johar

00:56:26Fateh

00:56:28only Jigra we were together

00:56:30otherwise Jigra husband wife

00:56:32other places we didn't even meet

00:56:34I can't after 30 years of marriage

00:56:36also be husband wife on screen

00:56:38that's why I need someone else

00:56:40but tell me

00:56:42how did Jigra happen

00:56:44interesting story

00:56:46I don't remember

00:56:48I will tell you

00:56:50Vasan Bala

00:56:52was coming to dinner after signing

00:56:54Abhimanyu Dasani for

00:56:56Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota

00:56:58I was Himalaya and Bhagishi's close friend

00:57:00since 30-40 years

00:57:02so we both were invited to dinner

00:57:04and Vasan and his wife

00:57:06Himalaya and I

00:57:08have a Tom and Jerry banter

00:57:10one liners

00:57:12so maybe that day I was in my element

00:57:14so Vasan Bala shy

00:57:16then one moment

00:57:18when he went to refill the drink

00:57:20I was at the bar, I don't drink

00:57:22but I was probably standing for a soda

00:57:24so

00:57:26he said

00:57:28Akash I want to cast you one day

00:57:30I said

00:57:32I didn't understand

00:57:34I am finding you very fascinating

00:57:36when you talk so I want to cast you

00:57:38I said sure I would love to

00:57:40you are a wacky director

00:57:42suddenly I get a call for Jigra

00:57:44I must tell you

00:57:463-4 very important

00:57:48scenes I have shot are not there

00:57:50one big 5 minute scene

00:57:52with Alia

00:57:54concentration just her and me

00:57:56when she finally walks out of the house

00:57:58and goes to save

00:58:00she has a showdown with me when she realizes

00:58:02I have trapped her brother

00:58:04and then one culmination scene

00:58:06where after she saves the thing she doesn't come back

00:58:08the film doesn't have that end

00:58:10there should have been some showdown

00:58:12correct

00:58:14for whatever reason they know better

00:58:16they have bigger minds, successful minds

00:58:18Karan Varan

00:58:20so he

00:58:22honored that promise

00:58:24that's how Jigra came along

00:58:26does Sheeba also act

00:58:28I said I would like her to play

00:58:30we did few more scenes which were not eventually used in the film

00:58:32but yet there is

00:58:34the presence

00:58:36do you like this phase where both of you are doing

00:58:38play roles but cute roles

00:58:40cameo roles

00:58:42where there is no

00:58:44burden on you

00:58:46there will be no burden

00:58:48the film is not on you

00:58:50as a

00:58:52you are not a main lead

00:58:54heroine has less burden

00:58:56after that you come

00:58:58one rung down and start playing the character

00:59:00there is no burden

00:59:02at all

00:59:04like yesterday

00:59:06I refused the fourth

00:59:08instalment of a huge

00:59:10film

00:59:123-4 days

00:59:14now I am not doing

00:59:16I told you the story

00:59:18successful Shah Rukh and failed Shah Rukh

00:59:20so this time I will be partly successful

00:59:22Shah Rukh

00:59:24everyone is my friend in the industry

00:59:26so what

00:59:28we all started careers together

00:59:30Shah Rukh and Kshiji Salman

00:59:32I have done it

00:59:34you won't believe

00:59:36after Covid

00:59:38not being a professional actor

00:59:40I have done 28 films

00:59:4212 web shows and 30 ads

00:59:44I am not an actor

00:59:46I get so angry on the set

00:59:48when the director says

00:59:50go to the van

00:59:52all our life we have been directors

00:59:54I have seen

00:59:56generally you get suited

00:59:58booted roles

01:00:00there is a reason

01:00:02fantastic actor

01:00:04and he had begun to do these

01:00:06character roles later on in life

01:00:08brilliantly

01:00:10in web and film

01:00:12Ram Kapoor

01:00:14my good friend

01:00:16now he is thin

01:00:18now if he wants an extreme

01:00:20then Manoj Pawa

01:00:22and

01:00:24in the middle

01:00:26he said

01:00:28Akash I don't see you smoking

01:00:30the producers have made me smoke that cigar

01:00:32in the film

01:00:34deliberately

01:00:36he said it suits the personality

01:00:38so I said

01:00:40you want a fat

01:00:42north Indian, funny, rich looking

01:00:44they say funny

01:00:46but then they give him all these

01:00:48negative, scary parts

01:00:50night manager

01:00:52he looks funny

01:00:54but they make him like this

01:00:56north Indian

01:00:58selfie

01:01:00they wanted north Indian, funny

01:01:02producer

01:01:04selfie was lovely

01:01:06one day Akshay called me

01:01:08you are not on insta

01:01:10I said yes

01:01:12the man had actually cut two promos on me

01:01:14Akshay

01:01:16I will show you the 30 second

01:01:18promos of selfie with just only talk of the producer

01:01:20my shot, my shot, my shot

01:01:22and then

01:01:24Akshay got a call

01:01:26sir I am coming

01:01:28coming soon selfie

01:01:30who does this

01:01:32it's a Karan Johar production

01:01:34on top of that

01:01:36Karan Johar gave me 3 films in a year

01:01:38Rocky Rani, Selfie, Jigra

01:01:40and Jigra

01:01:42so both of you are in a very happy

01:01:44space

01:01:46I have always been

01:01:48trust me Bharti, life is beautiful

01:01:50like Amit

01:01:52Amit Ji always says

01:01:54he quotes his father

01:01:56if you have a good heart

01:01:58if you don't have a good heart, it's even better

01:02:00I think that's what happened

01:02:02with him

01:02:04you wanted to be a heroine

01:02:06you didn't become so successful

01:02:08at that time

01:02:10but I am a heroine

01:02:12but now

01:02:14where you are

01:02:16I think you are in a very happy space

01:02:18she is now just starting work

01:02:20a very very important role

01:02:22on a very big film

01:02:24again the 4th

01:02:26can you speak now

01:02:28I can't, not yet

01:02:30they said they will announce it themselves

01:02:32ok

01:02:34big producer

01:02:36and not a cameo

01:02:38thanks god

01:02:40a good part

01:02:42like if the film has 5 or 6

01:02:44main

01:02:46what will be the 4th

01:02:48race

01:02:50I would say it but they said we want to announce it

01:02:52so I am not saying

01:02:54and

01:02:56the best thing is

01:02:58she can pick and choose

01:03:00I can do whatever I feel like doing

01:03:02I am not now

01:03:04set by any constraint of any medium or any language

01:03:06I just finished a very

01:03:08beautiful Punjabi film as well

01:03:10shot completely in London

01:03:12very fluently

01:03:14now we are in that happy space

01:03:16where I am also now dabbling with

01:03:18other businesses

01:03:20and

01:03:22unfortunately

01:03:24Sheeba's father passed away 6 months back

01:03:26and he had a massive

01:03:28aviation business in Delhi

01:03:30and

01:03:32her mother and she are now

01:03:34natural inheritors

01:03:36so whenever I have time

01:03:38to straighten things out

01:03:40otherwise her mother is looking at it

01:03:42so life

01:03:44I am also dabbling with some other businesses here

01:03:46like I told you in the beginning

01:03:48I love to try different things

01:03:50and

01:03:52acting is happening so much

01:03:54that I have locked a few films

01:03:56but I feel like

01:03:58how will I direct

01:04:00this is going to be

01:04:02past my last chance

01:04:04that it will remain in my mind

01:04:06that in exam

01:04:08I take more marks than Subhash Ghai

01:04:10I am not able to give practical hints

01:04:12so I want to cross that bridge somewhere

01:04:14not for any other reason

01:04:16but

01:04:18I owe it to myself

01:04:20I have so much intelligence

01:04:22I have so much knowledge

01:04:24and intelligence

01:04:26I will direct before him

01:04:28he has become too much of an actor

01:04:30I think so

01:04:32at some point I will direct him

01:04:34I feel that I have so much of knowledge

01:04:36I am not able to

01:04:38forget the direction

01:04:40are you obsessed with Bigg Boss

01:04:42if you

01:04:44send me to Bigg Boss

01:04:46then you guys

01:04:48open a gambling site

01:04:50I will win

01:04:52easier said than done

01:04:54I will give you a glimpse of my talent

01:04:56I will tell you

01:04:58in our college

01:05:00I had a best friend and a second best friend

01:05:02they had a fight with me

01:05:04on linking road

01:05:06my friend opened a pagdi

01:05:08it became a big issue

01:05:10I stopped talking

01:05:12and I was told to mediate

01:05:14my friend did wrong

01:05:16with Sardarji

01:05:18and he owed him to say sorry

01:05:20now Bigg Boss

01:05:22I made them sit

01:05:24and after that meeting

01:05:26Sardarji said sorry

01:05:28from his heart

01:05:30I convinced him that he was wrong

01:05:32so in Bigg Boss

01:05:34I will make them fight

01:05:36they will not understand

01:05:38and they will come to me for advice

01:05:40what can we do

01:05:42I will give them wounds

01:05:44I will give them medicines

01:05:46this quality

01:05:48and nowadays

01:05:50they drink

01:05:52they have seen previous seasons

01:05:54I love watching Bigg Boss

01:05:56but what is your obsession

01:05:58because you have

01:06:00made it a side business

01:06:02seriously

01:06:04he takes it so personally

01:06:06half the time we are watching an episode

01:06:08he will be watching an episode

01:06:10and he will be yelling at the television

01:06:12and I am like calm down

01:06:14what's going on

01:06:16someone said that you are on someone's payroll

01:06:18no no no

01:06:20really

01:06:22that you are on Karan's payroll

01:06:24I am

01:06:26I have

01:06:28tweeted a lot

01:06:30that's hilarious

01:06:32I must have posted 5000

01:06:34and I don't know him

01:06:36he doesn't know him

01:06:38he doesn't know him from Adam's

01:06:40your last show he was the antagonist

01:06:42I am not

01:06:44he was the villain

01:06:46I didn't meet him for a day

01:06:48but the day Bigg Boss started

01:06:50I said he is the winner

01:06:52and she kept saying no

01:06:54she wants to make a channel

01:06:56MC Stan I had predicted

01:06:58because I

01:07:00record

01:07:02on Jio

01:07:04I watch it for the second time

01:07:06I watch it for the second time

01:07:08very carefully

01:07:10sometimes 24 hours

01:07:12in this season

01:07:14when Isha Singh is on live tv

01:07:16she has been abused

01:07:18so much that her mother

01:07:20has never abused her

01:07:22and she said let me watch

01:07:24let me watch

01:07:26now Farah can't come

01:07:28we have to do something

01:07:30lovely Farah

01:07:32you are going next week

01:07:34he takes it very personally

01:07:36first 3 years I was very irritated

01:07:38these girls had made a group

01:07:40when the new show came

01:07:42they used to make t-shirts

01:07:44I didn't watch a single episode

01:07:46after that

01:07:48when I entered

01:07:50then I opened a website

01:07:52that is mine

01:07:5410 years ago

01:07:56many people use this

01:07:58that is mine

01:08:00I had made a tv series

01:08:02rich men's wives

01:08:04when their husbands leave

01:08:06and they sit in a kitty party

01:08:08so how can they start gossiping

01:08:12so that's just another way

01:08:14of saying gossip

01:08:16and men gossip

01:08:18way more than women

01:08:20much more

01:08:22it's just misogynist

01:08:24that they say women do it

01:08:26I have heard men who are worse

01:08:28I have heard by the way

01:08:30you are talking about misogyny

01:08:32when he was in college

01:08:34his favorite line was

01:08:36because B.Com students

01:08:38his favorite line was

01:08:40girls are like

01:08:42assets

01:08:44fluctuating and fixed

01:08:46and he had a girlfriend

01:08:48this is my fixed asset

01:08:50do you remember?

01:08:52I remember the dialogue

01:08:54my favorite dialogue was

01:08:56why am I forgetting the girl

01:08:58oh you forgot the girl

01:09:00it was fixed at that time

01:09:02that was also fluctuating

01:09:04temporarily fixed

01:09:10there is one more thing

01:09:12Akash you are very famous

01:09:14you come in every tv debate

01:09:16in news debate

01:09:18yes in news debate

01:09:20so you have very strong political views

01:09:24I stay

01:09:26clued to whatever is happening

01:09:28micro, small news and big news

01:09:30everything

01:09:32and I watch live tv

01:09:34and Arnab

01:09:36is my favorite

01:09:38but there are many more

01:09:40other channels have also

01:09:42now settled down

01:09:44but Arnab

01:09:48he is Shahrukh Khan of his profession

01:09:50Shahrukh Khan will kill you

01:09:52so I am

01:09:54no I mean

01:09:561,2,3

01:09:58so

01:10:00one

01:10:02thing I like

01:10:04to go to debates these days

01:10:06I am a

01:10:08die hard Modi fan

01:10:10Amit Shah fan

01:10:12for me Amit Shah is

01:10:14reminiscent of

01:10:16Sardar Wala Bhai Patel

01:10:18Iron man of India

01:10:20no nonsense man

01:10:22and I like Yogi Adityanath

01:10:24I like

01:10:26Devendra Fadnavis

01:10:28not unfortunately

01:10:30fortunately they are all RSS BJP

01:10:32I will not ask you who you vote for

01:10:34leave vote

01:10:363 years ago 25th December

01:10:38which happens to be my birthday

01:10:40it is Vajpayee ji's birthday

01:10:42and I was doing a show on 27th

01:10:44on Reliance Foundation Day

01:10:465 years ago

01:10:48when Jio launched

01:10:50I was doing

01:10:52certain acts in that show

01:10:54Sonu Nigam and all that

01:10:56so 25th to leave for Delhi

01:10:58in the morning for another event

01:11:00was becoming very difficult

01:11:02but I had to go

01:11:04so I got a call from BJP

01:11:06that we need a bhajan singing in the morning

01:11:08that place that they have created

01:11:12those days Anoop ji was in Big Boss

01:11:14otherwise Anoop ji is the

01:11:16buddy of ours

01:11:18my brother who is no more

01:11:20and I miss him and I love him

01:11:22and I am so happy that he got Padma Bhushan

01:11:24day after tomorrow

01:11:26what a fine gentleman

01:11:28he has probably one or two friends in life

01:11:30I am one of them

01:11:32so I said Pankaj ji

01:11:34Bhajan

01:11:36and did his homework

01:11:38whole cabinet was there

01:11:40opposition was there

01:11:42Adwani ji, Sonia ji, Malik Arjun

01:11:44and of course the entire BJP brigade

01:11:46we did that show

01:11:48so before the show started

01:11:50early morning 7 am

01:11:52security came at 6.30 am and Amit Shah walked in

01:11:54to just

01:11:56take a final

01:11:58everybody was a VIP

01:12:00cabinet, opposition

01:12:02retired people like Adwani ji

01:12:04supreme court judges, everybody

01:12:06chief of staff

01:12:08so I walked up to him

01:12:10hello sir

01:12:12I said Amit Shah ji

01:12:14I want to take a photo with you

01:12:16what photo with me

01:12:18he said I am a big fan of yours

01:12:24he said I should take a photo with you

01:12:28so I said sir

01:12:30I was not able to speak much

01:12:32not because I am nervous

01:12:34but I think I

01:12:36owe him that

01:12:38I have seen you in debates

01:12:40you come a lot in debates

01:12:42and that is why

01:12:44you praise the BJP

01:12:46that is why

01:12:48then he was so sweet

01:12:50he took pictures

01:12:52and

01:12:54so

01:12:56like big boss I get very upset when I see the news

01:12:58and you won't believe

01:13:00I attended 80 debates

01:13:02on Sushant Singh Rajput

01:13:04you and I were on a few together

01:13:06yeah we were together

01:13:08Arnab's 15-20, NDTV's 10

01:13:10India Today's 10

01:13:12those days everything was possible in Covid

01:13:14this was

01:13:16I like Arnab's debates

01:13:18they are great fun

01:13:20and I can't do anything negative

01:13:22I can't watch a negative video, I can't watch a negative debate

01:13:24I can't have a negative chat

01:13:26you are so diplomatic

01:13:28I don't like it

01:13:30at one point we felt

01:13:32Arnab is taking it too far

01:13:34let's hope Saif issue does not become

01:13:36Sushant, God bless the man, he died

01:13:38and a brilliant

01:13:40young upcoming superstar died

01:13:42I can understand the reason for that

01:13:44becoming so viral

01:13:46but Saif came home after 4 days

01:13:48people must have called half inch knife as 3 inch

01:13:50just filmy publicity

01:13:523 inch knife

01:13:54and then Saif came

01:13:56so I am saying

01:13:58I thought he came home, let him be

01:14:00but

01:14:02then when I see

01:14:04Arnab

01:14:06proved fingerprints don't match

01:14:08the one who was caught in Bangladeshi

01:14:10they don't match

01:14:12so some things

01:14:14he said

01:14:16they do make you sit up and think

01:14:18question mark

01:14:20he didn't hypnotize us

01:14:22into believing, it's a fact

01:14:24so the other day when NDTV

01:14:26NDTV told me we are calling you for a debate

01:14:28this is 3 days back

01:14:30and we are in solidarity with the actor

01:14:32that you must give him a space

01:14:34and they probably have been following my stand

01:14:36that I have always been saying leave the couple

01:14:38leave them

01:14:40I went to that debate, till then I saw Arnab

01:14:42I said the opposite

01:14:44they are looking at my face

01:14:46I said but tell me why driver wasn't there

01:14:483 inch knife, how is it moving

01:14:50so Maria Shakeli is also looking at me

01:14:52I thought we are in solidarity

01:14:54I said I do agree that you should leave him alone

01:14:58that's the price you pay for fame

01:15:00if you are a celebrity

01:15:02then you can't be selective

01:15:04if it's a film promotion then write about me

01:15:06but if something negative happened to me

01:15:08then don't write, it won't happen

01:15:10then you are 100% answerable to the public

01:15:12you better lump it

01:15:14but about you

01:15:16even though you have said that you had

01:15:18your little romances

01:15:20there was very less gossip about you

01:15:22in those days

01:15:24there was no gossip about me

01:15:26because all your other contemporaries

01:15:28like Nagman and all

01:15:30like people say about Karan Bedi

01:15:32that he bought PR media

01:15:34LV Syedab also says the same

01:15:36I have always been extremely discreet

01:15:38I do not believe in name dropping

01:15:40and I do not believe in

01:15:42slandering people

01:15:44and I feel that

01:15:46leave the past

01:15:48since you talked about Saif

01:15:50let me ask you

01:15:54both of you are crazy about dogs

01:15:56right now

01:15:58you have 7 dogs

01:16:008

01:16:02and how many parrots

01:16:04are there

01:16:062 parrots

01:16:083

01:16:10I work with rescue and rehoming

01:16:12of animals

01:16:14I am a very avid animal lover

01:16:16and this is also

01:16:18Amrita Singh's dog

01:16:20once killed your dog

01:16:22right?

01:16:24because you were neighbours

01:16:26we lived in the same

01:16:28society, neighbourhood

01:16:30I was off at shoot and she had a very

01:16:32violent and untrained

01:16:34bulldog

01:16:36it was not a bulldog, it was a GSD

01:16:38what is GSD?

01:16:40German Shepherd

01:16:42he was not trained

01:16:44he was not supposed to be an unleashed dog

01:16:46I am an animal lover

01:16:48of course I know

01:16:50there are different kinds of dogs and how you handle

01:16:52so his gate was open

01:16:54but give the couple their due

01:16:56they were not at home, they were outdoors, they were shooting

01:16:58that servant opened the gate and came

01:17:00and took my two Pomeranians

01:17:02my trainer was walking them

01:17:04he pulled out my intestines

01:17:06because I remember

01:17:08that time you told me this

01:17:10when Ringy's dog

01:17:12killed my dog

01:17:14I was very upset

01:17:16I was horrified and upset and I went through

01:17:18a very bad phase

01:17:20I was very tensed

01:17:22so my watchman called me

01:17:24and asked me to come fast

01:17:26I said Saif your dog ate you

01:17:30I got scared for a minute

01:17:32Saif ate my dog

01:17:34there is one left, he should eat Amrita

01:17:36if he wants to eat, I will send him

01:17:38he said what nonsense

01:17:40Amrita sir his dog is eating you

01:17:42say like this

01:17:44you have got two lovely boys

01:17:46you have given a very good name

01:17:48to both of them

01:17:50Hriday and Bhavishya

01:17:52my heart and future

01:17:54very nice

01:17:56what do both of them do

01:17:58my older one is a front end engineer

01:18:00he is a computer engineer full stack

01:18:02he is in New York

01:18:04he finished college in Boston

01:18:06he is working in New York

01:18:08my younger one

01:18:10is a marketing and business

01:18:12graduate

01:18:14he now works in my dad's company

01:18:16Delhi

01:18:18he has gone there because

01:18:20it suddenly became a headless company

01:18:22not that he is experienced

01:18:24he just graduated but he is there

01:18:26supporting my mother in law

01:18:28let him learn corporate culture

01:18:30for a year or two

01:18:32tell us what he wants to do

01:18:34they are both basically not filmy kids

01:18:36kept them away from films

01:18:38I didn't let them see Hindi cinema

01:18:40at all

01:18:42I made them see age appropriate

01:18:44things, Walt Disney movies

01:18:46that kind of

01:18:48so you took parenting very seriously

01:18:50those initial years

01:18:52she completely quit

01:18:54she didn't even do TV or something

01:18:56when they were 6-7 years old

01:18:58then some TV assignments

01:19:00but again restricted

01:19:02like Nagendel said we need you only for 2 months

01:19:04this 9 to 9 everyday in Naigaon

01:19:06that's all

01:19:08killer

01:19:10I was a helicopter parent

01:19:12constantly hovering

01:19:14I still hover

01:19:16apart from this

01:19:18they are non film kids

01:19:20unlike your friend Himalaya

01:19:22and Bhagish

01:19:24being from the line

01:19:26and having gone through the

01:19:28grind I feel it's an

01:19:30extremely hard profession to choose for your kids

01:19:32and I say god bless everybody's kids

01:19:34but it's heart breaking

01:19:38I think it emotionally

01:19:40wrecks you

01:19:42so I don't know how you would want your child to do that

01:19:44and if your child wants to do that

01:19:46you can't stop them

01:19:48I would say

01:19:50it's such a scary line

01:19:52I would take them on the set

01:19:54maybe one of them is inclined for direction

01:19:56or they like to be the producer

01:19:58owner of the show

01:20:00they didn't

01:20:02show that

01:20:04no interest

01:20:06thank god

01:20:08and tell me apart from

01:20:10today and Bhagish here

01:20:12what keeps the two of you going

01:20:14because we didn't give you

01:20:1629 days and you lasted 25 years

01:20:18congratulations

01:20:20I think the fact is that

01:20:22we are very committed people

01:20:24not only to humans

01:20:26to all our relationships

01:20:28to your dogs

01:20:30very committed

01:20:32and we are also very compatible

01:20:34we both dislike each other

01:20:36commonality

01:20:38wonderful

01:20:40so good catching up with the two of you

01:20:42Aarti always a pleasure with you

01:20:44we go back a long long way

01:20:46absolutely from his college days

01:20:48from his college days

01:20:50and you from your

01:20:52we won't ask

01:20:54we won't ask

01:20:56thank you so much

01:20:58all the best to Lehren

01:21:00thank you

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