Courtesy:
IndiaFM
Friday,
September
22,
2006
Today's
generation
might
identify
her
as
Fardeen
Khan's
mother-in-law
but
some
three
decades
back
she
ruled
the
silver
screen
as
one
of
the
most
prolific
actresses
of
Indian
cinema.
We
are
talking
about
the
gorgeous
Mumtaz
who
made
many
a
hearts
skip
their
beats
when
she
appeared
on
the
silver
screen.
Mumtaz
started
early
as
a
child
artist
at
the
tender
age
of
12
and
went
on
to
make
a
great
pair
with
actors
like
Rajesh
Khanna,
Dev
Anand
and
even
Mehmood.
The
graceful
lady
who
currently
resides
in
London
visits
India
once
in
a
while.
Tell
us
about
your
entry
in
the
industry
My
sister
was
working
in
Pyaar
Ka
Sagar
when
Devendra
Goel
spotted
me.
I
began
my
career
at
the
age
of
12.
You
started
at
a
young
age
and
have
also
played
some
child
artist
roles.
Tell
us
about
your
early
days.
As
I
said
I
began
at
12.
There
were
films
like
Mujhe
Jeene
Do
and
Gehra
Daag.
I
got
used
to
working
at
such
an
early
age
and
it
didn't
matter.
People
start
working
at
the
age
of
5
nowadays.
You
made
a
great
pair
with
Mehmood
and
matched
his
comic
timing
in
the
early
days
in
films
like
Pyaar
Kiye
Jaa
and
more.
Tell
us
something
about
working
with
him.
He
was
very
sweet
and
co-operative.
He
thought
that
I
had
a
lot
of
potential.
Not
many
people
know
that
I
got
the
role
in
Ram
Aur
Shyam
because
he
recommended
me
to
Dilip
Kumar.
I
am
very
grateful
to
him.
I
got
a
lot
of
films
like
V
Shantaram's
Boondh
Jo
Ban
Gayi
Moti,
Bandhan
and
Do
Raaste
because
of
him.
Your
first
film
with
the
lead
role
-
Khilona
won
you
a
Filmfare
Award.
Was
it
a
good
boost
to
your
talent?
I
was
shooting
for
Hare
Rama
Hare
Krishna
when
I
came
to
know
about
it.
Lots
of
people
thought
that
I
couldn't
pull
off
emotional
roles.
I
was
really
happy
that
the
audience
accepted
me
in
the
film.
Initially
Waheeda
Rehman
was
considered
for
the
role.
The
writer
insisted
on
her
but
my
producer
L.V
Prasad
wanted
a
fresher
face
so
he
got
me
this
role.
You
made
a
great
pair
with
Rajesh
Khanna
in
the
70s.
Saccha
Jhoota,
Apna
Desh,
Dushman,
Aap
Ki
Kasam,
Roti,
Prem
Kahani
all
were
big
hits.
Tell
us
about
your
chemistry
with
him.
Well,
sometimes
it
just
happens.
I
guess
we
were
lucky
for
each
other.
I
believe
that
we
are
the
only
pair
in
the
industry
who
have
not
given
a
flop
despite
being
in
so
many
films
together.
We
understood
each
other
and
I
think
that
was
a
plus
point.
The
only
other
pair
with
a
good
success
ratio
is
Shah
Rukh
Khan
and
Kajol
who
have
given
very
good
films
together.
Then
there
was
Feroz
Khan
with
whom
you
were
quite
a
hit.
And
now
he
is
your
daughter's
father-in-law.
Tell
us
about
your
association
with
him.
We
were
always
family
friends
from
the
beginning.
I
knew
his
mother
who
was
half
Irani.
We
also
had
an
Irani
background
so
we
were
quite
close.
We
did
a
couple
of
films
together.
Even
Fardeen
and
Natasha
knew
each
other
from
childhood.
Which
actors
from
your
era
did
you
enjoy
working
with?
I
was
a
tomboy
in
my
younger
days
so
I
gelled
well
with
all
my
heroes.
I
had
absolutely
no
problem
with
any
of
them.
Even
my
younger
daughter
Tanya
is
just
like
me.
Which
directors
from
your
time
do
you
think
made
great
films?
There
are
quite
a
few
who
even
came
before
my
time
that
I
always
wanted
to
work
with.
There
was
Raj
Kapoor,
Mehboob
Khan,
Bimal
Roy,
Hrishikesh
Mukherjee,
V
Shantaram
and
Yash
Chopra.
Yash
Chopra
is
still
a
big
director
today.
I
also
believe
that
L
V
Prasad
was
very
talented.
He
taught
me
a
lot
during
Khilona.
Post
marriage
we
saw
very
little
of
you
in
films.
Was
it
a
conscious
decision
to
stay
away
from
films?
Well,
my
husband
was
not
from
India.
He
still
doesn't
stay
in
India
even
today.
I
finished
all
my
pending
films
and
gave
preference
to
my
married
life.
I
am
blessed
with
two
beautiful
daughters.
I
concentrated
on
my
marriage
but
all
marriages
have
their
ups
and
downs.
After
more
than
a
decade
you
made
a
comeback
with
David
Dhawan's
Aandhiyan
in
1989.
How
was
it
to
play
an
elder
character
in
that
film?
It
was
not
an
elder
'elder'
character.
I
played
the
mother
of
an
18
year
old
boy.
I
really
enjoyed
on
the
sets
with
producer
Pahlaj
Nihalani
and
director
David
Dhawan.
Somehow
the
film
didn't
do
too
well.
David
offered
me
another
film
after
that
but
I
didn't
want
to
work
in
any
more
films
then.
Any
plays
to
make
a
comeback
in
films
now?
It
all
depends
on
the
role.
Hema
Malini
got
a
very
good
role
in
Baghban.
I
am
free
now
since
Natasha
is
married.
My
younger
daughter
Tanya
travels
with
her
father
regarding
business
so
I
have
nothing
much
to
do.
But
if
I
ever
accept
a
role,
it
has
to
be
very
strong.
Don't
you
miss
all
the
adulation
you
used
to
get
as
a
star,
now?
I
have
no
complains.
Even
now
the
affection
is
there.
People
love
me.
They
don't
have
to
but
they
do.
When
I
walk
on
the
streets
people
recognize
me.
I
always
considered
myself
lucky.
I
can't
expect
more
after
33
years.
Weren't
your
daughters
Natasha
or
Tanya
ever
inclined
towards
movies?
No,
maybe
that
is
the
way
they
were
brought
up.
They
always
got
offers
but
they
refused.
My
husband
did
not
want
them
to
enter
the
film
industry.
Finally
from
your
vast
repertoire
of
films,
if
we
ask
you
to
select
5
of
your
favorite
films
which
would
they
be?
You
know,
some
of
my
favourite
films
include
the
ones
where
I
had
very
small
roles.
I
really
like
Do
Raaste
even
though
my
role
was
quite
short.
Other
movies
include
Khilona,
Tere
Mere
Sapne,
Roop
Tera
Mastana,
Aap
Ki
Kasam
and
Aaina.
Who
do
you
consider
your
most
favourite
co-star?
I
really
can't
choose.
They
were
all
so
nice
to
me.
Feroz
Khan,
Devsaab,
Dharmendra,
etc
were
very
good
co-stars.
I
can't
pinpoint
to
one
person.
Even
today's
stars
are
so
nice
to
me.
Shah
Rukh
Khan
is
so
nice
and
respected
me
so
much.
Who
is
the
one
director
who
you
would
like
to
work
with
today?
I
like
films
which
are
different.
I
really
liked
Krrish,
KANK
and
Lage
Raho
Munnabhai.
So
people
who
make
such
kind
of
movies
are
really
good.
I
don't
like
monotonous
films.
The
subject
should
be
really
nice.