Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; March 31, 2020)

It’s been over 45 years since yesteryear’s Bollywood actress Mumtaz has made London her home, along with her husband, Mayur Madhvani. In the current scenario, the former B-Town actress is making the most of her time with family at home.

While talking to Bombay Times from England, Mumtaz said, “My daughter Natasha along with her husband Fardeen (Khan) and their kids, have come to London. Even my other daughter Tanya and her husband are here. Tanya has been living in Rome with her hotelier husband, but since the situation is so bad there, she is here with us now. I get a headache handling my five grandchildren together (laughs!).”

Mumtaz’s house in London is located on the busy Charles Street (in Mayfair district), but it is the first time that she’s seen the streets so quiet. “Over the years, the street has become extremely busy; when I had moved in here, it wasn’t like that. With people being self-quarantined, the traffic and noise levels have lessened. So much that, nowadays, I can enjoy a sound sleep with my windows open. Something that I always wanted to do, but couldn’t,” she says.

Talking about being self-quarantined, the Ram Aur Shyam and Patthar Ke Sanam actress says that her husband and kids are very strict and see to it that she doesn’t leave her house. “Not that I am into social gallivanting. I like staying at home and indulging in cooking sometimes. My roots are from Iran and so, I cook Iranian dishes that have been passed down the generations in our family. I was born and raised in India and enjoy cooking Indian food, too,” she shares, adding, “I enjoy going for a stroll in the neighbourhood, but due to the virus scare, my family has cut that off, too.”

Talking about how much she misses Mumbai, Mumtaz says, “In a year, I come to Mumbai at least twice or thrice. India has made me what I am today. India ne mujhe naam aur shohorat di hai. Mai India ko kaise bhool sakti hoon?” And when in India, she makes it a point to meet her handful of old buddies. “I was in Mumbai from December 2019 to February 2020. I am very good friends with Shatrughan Sinha. In fact, he stays opposite my building. I wish to come back soon, once what’s happening around the world settles down,” she signs off.