Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna used to call me “MOTTI” during our glorious days in Bollywood says Mumtaz

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Seventy four year old Mumtaz born in 1947 has no complaints about her leaving acting after her glorious years in Bollywood from 1952 to 1990, her last movie being Andhiyan after a gap of thirteen years. She was married to billionaire Industrialist in Kenya Mayur Madhwani and left Bombay Film industry forever, looking after her husband, children and family also taking taking good care of her, when she grew old.

Answering to her daughter Tanya’s questions as reported by ETimes particularly on a question whether she really misses acting in films after her long chequered career, she says after a little pause ” Not really”, I don’t miss acting but I do miss my old friends, my producers, directors, heroes with whom I had worked for such a long time, all being so courteous and good to me. I really miss my Bollywood fraternity says Mumtaz to her daughter Tanya’s question.

Going back to her beautiful memories from sixties to eighties, Mumtaz who is in Mumbai these days having met prominent handsome actor Dharmendra with his wife Prakash Kaur at the latter’s bungalow in Mumbai, 74 year old Mumtaz said all my heroes, producers, directors whom I miss the most have been very cordial to me.

Highly appreciating and admiring veteran hero Sunil Dutt and Dharmendra in particular, while refreshing her old glorious days of Bollywood, then known as Mumbai Film industry, Mumtaz says that both Sunil Duttji and Dharmendra had been very good n cordial to me and all women actresses and respected them to the core, always caring for their dignity. They would never tolerate the insult to any women actor. Dharmendra even used to become emotional in tears sometimes said Mumtaz.

She added how Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna used to call me “Moti” out of affection. She really misses the old days and those who worked with me in a cordial n nostalgic atmosphere though I really don’t miss the acting after I left this world.

She added that since I was fully dedicated to my family in a different world looking after my children, thereafter, I have no qualms, whatsover said Mumtaz. Moreover, I am being nicely looked after by my husband and children, but yes I really miss my colleagues/ fraternity of Mumbai film industry viz my producers, directors n heroes etc said famous actor of her times. She worked with almost all heroes and with Dharmendra in two films Jheel ke us paar and loafer but with Rajesh Khanna aka Kaka in seventies she was his most popular heroine in about ten movies majority of them super duper hits.

It may be recalled that the heart throb of millions from the seventies to eighties, having acted with almost all the top heroes including Dharmendra, Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna, Jitendra etc her pair with the first and original super star Rajesh Khanna was the most popular “Jodi” in superhit movies like Aap Ki Kasam, Roti, Aaina, Do Raaste, Bandhan, Sachcha Jhootha, Dushman, Apna Desh, Prem Kahani etc

Mumtaz had a very strong emotional bonding with the super star Rajesh Khanna and she wept a lot when Kaka died of cancer in 2012, but was satisfied that at least she was able to see him before his death in “Ashirvad” Mumbai, where both the old friends interacted a lot reminiscing their glorious Bollywood days when their ten movies were box office hits. Recalling some jokes with Kaka after his sad demise she said that her weight was much and Kaka used to carry her over snow during the shooting of Roti in Kashmir at least for a week. I used to say that you will have to carry a sack of 100 Kg on your shoulders to which he said that I am not so heavy though I was not either slim said Mumtaz.

Mumtaz who got a first break in Films by free style wrestler turned Dara Singh was badly anguished and wept when he left for his heavenly abode just as she was shocked at Kaka’s sad demise saying in grief that all the closest friends are leaving this world gradually.

She has specially come from London to meet her old super star “buddy when she got the news about Kaka’s degrading health, which really shows her emotional attachment to her old colleagues.

Mumtaz too came out of breast cancer but unfortunately her old colleague Kaka died of this, dreaded disease.

Mumtaz went to Dharmendra’s house in Mumbai a day before and chatted with the family for over three hours says various news reports.

Mumtaz along with his industrialist husband Mayur Madhwani stays in London with her daughter Tanya with her elder daughter Natasha having married to Bollywood actor and late Feroz Khan’s son Fardeen Khan.