Sona doesn’t look like me

Mumbai Mirror gets the reclusive Reena Roy to talk about her daughter, Mohsin Khan and Sonakshi Sinha

Her first film, B R Ishara’s Nai Duniya Naye Log (1972), was  a non-starter but she shot to fame with Subhash Ghai’s directorial debut Kalicharan (1975|). Thereafter, Reena Roy never looked back. While still at the top of her game, she quit films to marry then Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan. While things didn’t really work out between the couple, Reena has held her own with poise. And while the actress has been media-shy for the longest time, she agreed to an interview with Mirror after several calls. Excerpts….

Why do we never see you at functions and parties? We saw you after years when Rajesh Khanna passed away….

 Rajesh was a buddy to me. I miss him so much. About your other question, I was never a party person.It was just home-sets-home for me. I would get up at 5am and go horse-riding and then biking, followed by dance classes. I did nearly 100 films before marriage. I was lucky to do many women-oriented films like Aasha, Apnapan and Nagin to name a few. My only regret is I couldn’t work with Dilip Kumar.

It’s said you entered films to support your family financially?

That’s rubbish floating on the Internet. In fact, my mom wanted me to get married after four films. If she saw me die in a film, she feared the same would happen to me in real life. When my daughter was with Mohsin  and I was pining for her, she associated the event with one of my roles. Anyway, I had a very successful run and didn’t marry for a long time till Mohsin Khan (former Pakistan cricketer) came into my life.

Your decision to marry Mohsin shocked everbody. You were at the peak of your carrer at the time…

Stagnation had set in. I yearned for a break. I thought marriage was the break and I got married to Mohsin. Once our daughter was born (earlier called Jannat, now Sanam), I gave up all plans of returning to films.

What went wrong between Mohsin and you?

He had a house in London but I never liked it there. My sisters would come to England to give me company when he travelled  for his cricket matches. Else, I would come to Mumbai. It wasn’t claustrophobic but I felt very lonely. And then he wanted me to get a British citizenship which was not acceptable to me. Besides, I could not adjust to his environment and lifestyle, what with friends, late nights and entertaining people. We realized we are two very different people. At one point, I called my mom from London and asked her, “What is the meaning of marriage?’ She just said, ‘Nibha le. Shaadi means nibhana’. I listened to her otherwise I think I would have come back way earlier.

You experienced a very difficult phase when your daughter was with Mohsin for seven years?

Difficult is an understandstatement. It was terrible. I didn’t leave any stone unturned to get Sanam back. Shammi  Aunty sent home sadhus, who gave me a long list of do’s and don’t’s as far as eating is concerned and I complied. They then said I shold stand in the sea every day and I did that too (sighs)…till my mom intervened (pauses)….

Go on….

But I have nothing against Mohsin perse. He is a wonderful person. After me, he married twice. His third wife takes good care of him. He is in touch with Sanam everyday and she loves him. If and when he is not able to reach her, he calls ma and enquires if all is well. I think he took Sanam away when he did because he felt I would follow them and settle down with him in London.

Why didn’t you remarry?

There is no time. My daughter is my responsibility. Shaadi karna yaane ek aur aadmi ko paalna…

At a point, people thought you were a better dancer than even Vyjayanthimala. Do you miss dancing?

Had I not married, I would have become a better dancer. I think I still have a lot to learn in dancing.

We hear Sanam wants to be an actress…

She loves acting but she hasn’t made up her mind yet.

Ekta Kapoor is remaking Nagin. Your thoughts…

That’s lovely. And I think some newcomer who doesn’t have a set image should be asked to step into my role.

Sonakshi Sinha looks so much like you…

Sonakshi looks like her mom Poonam Sinha, not me. I think Salman Khan’s family has given a very typical Indian look that resembles my look on screen. When I did Zakhmee, I was called Asha Parekh and Nasir Hussian’s daughter. Dimple was referred to as Nargi’s daughter. Film industry mein toh yeh silsila chalet rehta hai. Kuch dun baad khatam ho jaata hai.

Have you met Sonakshi?

I met her when she was much younger. Gol matol thi. Not after that.