‘My Life And My Story Is My Truth’

‘At
the
age
of
68,
I
am
in
the
best
phase
of
my
life.’
‘What
I
have
left
of
my
life,
I
want
to
live
with
dignity.’

From
a
studious
girl
who
learnt
Bharata
Natyam
to
Bollywood’s
dancing
queen,

Kalpana
Iyer
came
a
long
way.

She
was
last
seen
in
1999’s

Hum
Saath
Saath
Hai
but
hopes
to
make
a
comeback
to
the
movies.

Kalpana
asks



Rediff.com
Senior
Contributor

Dinesh
Raheja,
“Practically,
every
TV
singing
reality
show
invariably
has
a
disco
session
with
my
songs
in
it.
So
how
is
it
is
it
possible
that
I
should
not
be
present
in
any
of
them?”

How
do
you
look
back
on
your
20
years
in
the
movies?

What
a
wonderful
career
I
had!

I
began
with
the
Rajshris
and
my
last
film
was
also
with
them,

Hum
Saath
Saath
Hain.

I’ve
done
100
plus
dances
and
some
beautiful
roles.

Rahul
Rawail
had
the
conviction
that
I
could
do

Anjaam
(1994),
and
it
turns
out
a
lot
of
people
think
that
was
wonderful.

Pardesi
Pardesi
from

Raja
Hindustani
(1996)
is
your
last
hit
song.

I
had
huge
blisters
under
my
feet
because
I
had
to
dance
barefoot.

A
young
Kareena
Kapoor
would
visit
the
set
because
sister
Karisma
was
the
leading
lady.

I
remember
thinking:
‘Such
an
exquisitely
beautiful
child
with
that
smile
and
that
skin,
she’s
going
to
be
a
big
star.’

Why
did
you
leave
films
and
Mumbai
for
Dubai
in
1999?

I
was
one
of
the
first
people
to
start
television
with
a
beautiful
serial
called

Kashish.

But
television
became
like
a
factory.

It
reached
a
point
when
my
sister
Kavita
had
to
keep
going
to
their
offices
for
my
payment.
I
couldn’t
handle
it
anymore.

Mercifully,
Kavita
had
the
good
sense
to
connect
with
friends
(former
actor
Rajan
Sippy
and
his
wife),
who
had
a
restaurant
in
Dubai
called
Moghul
Room
and
I
came
here
in
1999.

I
worked
in
catering
and
hospitality
till
COVID
put
an
end
to
it.

You
have
never
spoken
about
your
personal
life
either
for
publicity
or
for
self
expression.
Was
that
a
difficult
decision?

No.
My
life
and
my
story
is
my
truth,
my
perception.
I’m
not
about
to
speak
about
anything
when
people
aren’t
around
to
defend
or
take
offence
to
what
I
say.

The
people
who
are
not
here
might
have
had
a
different
opinion.
What
gives
me
the
right
to
have
the
final
say?

Secondly,
what
have
the
children
in
the
family
done
that
they
should
go
through
my
nonsense
without
even
knowing
what
it
means?
They
don’t
deserve
it.

Let
me
assure
you,
there
is
plenty
to
speak.
But…
not
needed.

Who
is
your
emotional
support
system
today?

My
sister
Kavita
and
I
live
together.
My
sister
is
a
single
parent
and
her
kids
are
my
kids
because
I
don’t
have
any
children.

I
have
a
beautiful
small
family.
There
are
three
children
and
two
grandchildren.

Would
you
consider
returning
to
showbiz
and
Mumbai?

I
would
love
to
come
back.

Practically,
every
TV
singing
reality
show
invariably
has
a
disco
session
with
my
songs
in
it.
So
how
is
it
is
it
possible
that
I
should
not
be
present
in
any
of
them?

Okay,
I
am
sitting
in
Dubai,
but
I’m
just
a
phone
call
away.

However,
if
I
don’t
get
work,
it
was
not
meant
to
be.

At
the
age
of
68,
I
am
in
the
best
phase
of
my
life.
What
I
have
left
of
my
life,
I
want
to
live
with
dignity.