Junior 'G':Bindu (6/7)
sha...@vax.sbu.ac.uk
Today, I am doing only around 8-9 films. Compared to the old
times life has slowed down. In a month, I shoot for only
around fifteen to twenty days and I feel comfortable doing
merely single shifts. Sometimes, I have to do double shifts.
And that's mainly to adjust the dates with my producers and my
co-stars. Stars like Anupam Kher do double shifts
continuously. So, artistes like us have to adjust timings
constantly. Shootings in the olden days was fun. One had a
rapport, a timing which is missing today. Not that I have
anything against the youngsters. Stars like Sheeba, Sangeeta,
Shilpa are all very friendly and respect us seniors, yet there
is something missing. Maybe it is the working style. Recently,
thank God, romance has returned to films. At least one is
saved from the bash-ups and the dhishum dhishum. Today I like
to spend as much time with my home and husband as possible. I
have lots to do around the house. I like to read, listen to
music and spend time with friends or even do household work.
Since it was my father's wish that I become a doctor, it
became my wish too that someone from the family should study
medicine. One of my younger sister's is a gynaecologist. She's
also married to a doctor, a neurosurgeon. They have a private
practice and are also on the staff of Nanavati Hospital.
Another of my sisters is married to music-director Laxmikant.
One married sister is in Mombasa, Kenya. The rest of them are
here. Two sisters are yet to be married. We are on the lookout
for good boys for them. They both work in travel agencies.
While one is the managing director of 'Travel Era', the other
manages the cargo department of 'Jet Air'. They comfort me
saying, "Don't worry about us. If we find a good person, we
will get married. We will let you know about everything." All
my sisters are well qualified. One of them is an M.A., another
is a B.A., while the youngest one has even done her L.L.B.
None of my sisters had any ambition for modelling or for
films. Surprisingly, my career as a film actress didn't
inspire any of them to enter the profession. They were
academically inclined. Secondly, none of them ever visited my
sets. Believe it or not, in all these years they have not once
come for my shooting. Even today, many people don't know that
we are such a large family.
Sometimes, their friends wanted to visit my sets and my
sisters would say, "Bindu, we are sending our friends for the
shootings. Look after them." But they would never accompany
their friends. The same with my husband. He has never seen the
inside of a single studio. Nor has he ever accompanied me on
an outdoors. But, for trials and premieres he accompanies me.
For other public functions, I even make a single entry. Like
the Navratri function in Muscat where I was invited for the
opening ceremony. What I have never done is stage shows. It's
funny, but even today a lot of my fans ask me if I am what I
portray on screen. People believe what they see in films and I
cannot go about convincing everyone that the real me is not
what they see on screen.
M life-style hasn't changed dramatically in all these years.
In 1971, we moved to our present residence in Worli, but
except that everything is the same. Even me. People who don't
know me too well, get surprised when they meet me. "Bindu, you
don't behave like a star," they say, to which I reply, "Do you
want me to behave like one?"
I am a very private person. Even for my twenty-fifth wedding
anniversary I called very few people. The press photographers
complained that I had not invited them. I felt that it was my
own personal affair and should be enjoyed with just my family
and friends. I do not want a horde of photographers,
incessantly intruding on this beautiful day of my life. So, I
shunned publicity. Of course, I had a personal photographer to
shoot the function, but that was merely for me. Even in the
past, I never indulged in self-publicity of any kind, never
had a P.R.O. and never screamed interviews.
The only thing I have done is to take advantage of my
husband's various hoardings in the city. During Diwali,
Christmas and New Year, I wish my fans via these hoardings.
And over the years my husband has maintained this practice. He
tells me, "we cannot reach all your fans everywhere. So this
way, at least you can do something for them."