Actor Nafisa Ali is a total birthday person, in her own words. “I love my birthdays because everyone in my family gives me presents and I feel happy. I have always been like this,” she says with a laugh as she turns 64 today.

This time, making things more special is the fact that she has her entire family with her. Ali’s fondest birthday memories go back to when she had turned an adult. “I think it was my 18th or 21st birthday. I remember I had got the maximum amount of flowers. We had a beautiful bungalow in Kolkata, and it was full of bouquets sent by my friends. When you are young, you want to grow up. Then you are suddenly there, and you realise oh there is just going to be one more grey hair and wrinkle,” she says.

Apart from being an acclaimed actor, Ali has also dabbled in politics and had won a beauty pageant. She adds some more accomplishments to the list, “I am also a National swimming champion, an athletic champion, a jockey, and have taken part in shows. I have been a tomboy, and sports has always taught me to try my best. More often than not, you win, but you definitely lose some, that’s what makes me human.”

Summing up her life so far, she says her cancer diagnosis taught her one thing: to take life as it comes. “You never let anything hurt you. Family is all important, and stood by me. I worked hard on making my cancer go away. I think positivity, blessings and sort of signals from the Universe helped me and my doctors were phenomenal. Of course, there’s no guarantee for tomorrow, but I am in remission. I feel like I haven’t grown old,” she sums up with a laugh, but not before revealing her birthday wish. “My dream is to build a small home in Goa. I want everyone reading this to pray for my dream to come true,” says Ali.