Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; February 13, 2014)

Simi Garewal is set to return to the big screen. She may be synonymous with her chat shows in recent times, but it appears that the actress-turned-TV host is giving acting another go.

During the ’60s and ’70s, she was seen in several films and by the early ’80s, she switched to producing small screen shows.

Says a source, “When the makers approached her, she was taken aback. It has been nearly three decades since she has acted in a film. It was an out of the blue offer for her, but with interesting scripts being made into films now, this was a new challenge for her.” Adds the source, “Things are in the initial stages right now, so everyone concerned is tightlipped about the project. They don’t want any names to be revealed at this juncture as the makers want to make an announcement once things are finalised.” It is learnt that Simi will be essaying a pivotal role in the film. Considering that she is known for her trademark white attire, it remains to be seen how she will step out in her Bollywood film avtar.

Simi has featured in films such as Mehboob Khan’s Son of India (1962), Raj Kapoor’s Mera Naam Joker (1970), Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri (1970), Mrinal Sen’s Padatik (1973), Raj Khosla’s Do Badan (1966), Sunder Das’ Chalte Chalte (1976) and Subhash Ghai’s Karz (1980). She later turned to television shows like It’s A Woman’s World, Rendezvous With Simi Garewal and India’s Most Desirable.