Showing posts with label Mumtaz interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mumtaz interview. Show all posts
I would lie in Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar’s lap when they would do riyaz-Mumtaz
8:19 AM
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 14, 2026)
Singer Asha Bhosle died on Sunday at the age of 92 due to multi-organ failure. With a career spanning over eight decades and 12,000 songs, she left a legacy as one of India’s most versatile voices, transforming music across genres.
Now, recalling her final memory of the singer, veteran actor Mumtaz says, “I rushed when I heard she was hospitalized… I wanted to speak to her, but couldn’t as the doctors informed us she is critical. As I was leaving the hospital a few minutes later, her family called to say she had passed away. The next day I visited her home, and when I saw Asha ji, her face had a certain noor.”
The duo has delivered hits such as Koi Shahri Babu (Loafer, 1973) and Duniya Mein Logon Ko (Apna Desh, 1972). “Asha ji would always tell me the song Aaja O Mere Raja has been the most difficult song of her career because of the voice variations,” the 78-year-old shares.
Sharing personal memories from their days as neighbours in Mumbai’s Walkeshwar, she shares, “I remember lying in Asha ji and Lata (Mangeshkar, Bhosle’s sister and late veteran singer) ji’s lap when they would do riyaz with their tanpura.”
Earlier, Mumtaz had shared a video from Diwali 2023 on Instagram, dancing with the late singer that had instantly gone viral.
“We danced at Asha ji’s home… Jackie Shroff (actor) had egged me on to get her on the floor, but she was shy,” the veteran recalls.
My daughter Natasha Madhvani and Fardeen Khan should not divorce-Mumtaz
8:09 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2025)
Veteran actress Mumtaz speaks frankly, and it's led her into some tangled scenarios. In her recent interviews, she openly discussed her complex relationships—with Shammi Kapoor, Yash Chopra's unrequited love for her, and the dating rumors swirling around Rajesh Khanna.
“Everybody keeps asking me the same old things. And my sister got a few calls. People complained to my sister. They say, ‘Mumtaz shouldn’t answer those questions’. But how many times should I say no comments? People want to ask me everything. My sister told me, ‘You are hurting industry people’. I don’t want to hurt anyone; they are my family. People who I have spoken about, now their kids have grown up and they don’t like when I speak the truth. And I cannot lie,” she tells us.
Ask her if she regrets talking about her contemporaries, and she replies, “I don’t regret it. But it does get monotonous. Everybody just wants to ask me about Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor. It is so monotonous. His (Shammi’s) wife feels bad, ‘Why is she talking about my husband’. So, I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
'I have not gotten any tempting offers'
Though she's often in the spotlight, the actress, who is known for films such as Khilona (1970), Apna Desh (1972), Jheel Ke Us Paar (1973) and Aap Ki Kasam (1974), isn’t in a rush to return to acting. “You either work when there is a necessity, and I have no such majburi. Otherwise, I have not gotten any tempting offers,” she says. She is a fan of Jane Fonda-starrer, Monster-In-Law.
“I would like to do a movie like that, because the director showed Jane the way she looked. If a director shows me in that light, I might do it. I look reasonably good even now. But if they (makers) ask me to play a mother to a hero who is 60-year-old then I refuse it,” she explains.
'Heeramandi ke character mein dum nahi tha'
Mumtaz was supposed to make a comeback to the showbiz with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi. The actress refused to play a part, which was eventually played Koi Sehri Babu co-actress Farida Jalal. Opening up about it for the first time, she states, “I love Sanjay. If you saw Heeramandi, it is a multi-starrer. There are many characters, and each has something to do. I felt what would I have done in that show? Sanjay was even open to make a few changes (in the script). I will die to work with Sanjay, but I want an important character. I don’t want to do a movie, where every character is doing something so the importance gets distributed. Itna dum nahi tha, uss character mein. He understood my point.”
She adds, "I don’t miss being in front of the camera. I started working at the age of seven as an extra. So, I was really tired. Yes, I do miss my colleagues. Bohot mazaa ata tha on set. I miss the people, and the fun times.."
'Natasha and Fardeen should not divorce'
Mumtaz’s daughter Natasha Madhvani and her actor-husband Fardeen Khan have been reportedly separated. Query about the couple to the actress and she sheds some light: “They are saying they are separating but they aren’t still divorced. I love Fardeen a lot. He was born in front of me. They are still husband and wife.”
Has Mumtaz sat down with the couple to identify what went wrong? She answers, “Nothing serious has happened. Maybe they don’t get along anymore. Every marriage has ups and downs. They are too old; they won’t listen to me. Sometimes people don’t get along with each other. Arguments hote hai. Natasha and Fardeen should not divorce, as they have kids. And I have seen Fardeen is a good father. He shifts his shooting days according to their schedule. He respects me to date. I don’t know what they want to do. Even if they divorce, they won’t be separated due to their kids.”
'It is not a crime to go under the knife'
At 77, the Do Raste actress continues to remain fit. She eats at 7 pm, works out for over an hour, and has a diet to follow. Talking about her need to still look perfect, she shares, “If you don’t work out, you won’t look good. I have not done any facelifts, but sometimes when I am too tired, I do use fillers on my left and right side of the face. Usse chal jata hai ek do mahina. I do it once every four months. I don’t feel the need of going under the knife, till now.”
She further talks about the idea of plastic surgery which is rampant amongst the younger actresses these days. “If you feel there is anything less in you, then you must rectify it. It is not a crime to change it. Everybody wants to look good and beautiful. Even if I feel like I need something I need to work on, I will change it. Even if I have to do a plastic surgery, I will do it. If that makes me look beautiful, why not. Everybody should do it,” she ends.
I danced on Koi Sehri Babu for Asha Bhosle ji, I’m glad I’m still graceful-Mumtaz
8:38 AM
Yesteryear actress Mumtaz talks about her recent viral video where she was seen dancing with Asha Bhosle
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; December 7, 2023)
It was quite a nostalgic moment when a video surfaced a few days ago that had Mumtaz and Asha Bhosle dancing to the song Koi Sehri Babu from the film Loafer (1973). The song was originally sung by the legendary singer and featured the yesteryear actress dancing to the tunes.
The video went viral quickly and it was exciting to see Mumtaz gracefully showing off some moves from her original performance in the film.
Talking about that moment and how netizens were all praise for the video, she says, “I did some simple steps. Waise bachpan mein itni mehenat kari thi toh ab aa hi jata hai naturally. I am just glad that I am still graceful. Waise, I don’t dance at functions, I only did it for Asha ji. She had invited me to her place recently and we danced on the occasion. Har jaga dance karo toh uski respect bhi nahi hoti. Woh kahawat hai na… Qadar kho baithta hai roz ka aana jaana (laughs).”
About the special equation she shares with Asha Bhosle, Mumtaz says, “I know Asha ji since I was a kid. We were neighbours in Walkeshwar (Mumbai). I knew Lata ji (Mangeshkar) too, and they have always been like family to me.”
In the past, too, some of Mumtaz’s previous videos, especially the one where she was seen working out at a gym using weights had gone viral. She shares, “Two decades ago, I battled cancer. I was not supposed to be on a diet as I was taking treatment. As a result, I had put on a lot of weight. That’s when I started working out and continue to do so.”
The actress, who is currently in Mumbai, adds, “I work out at a gym in London, and in Mumbai, I have a set up at home where I can work out. I work hard to maintain myself and remain fit. It is not only my body, I also focus on my overall well-being. I sleep at 9 pm and wake up at 6 am. I am very particular about my appearance because I don’t want to disappoint my fans.”
‘Don’t want to do those boring, typical roles’
Ask her whether she wants to return to the big screen, and Mumtaz says, “I don’t want to do those boring, typical roles. I can play Ranbir Kapoor or Tiger Shroff’s mother on screen, but the role should be interesting.”
I was very close to Dev Anand saab and he would call me Mumzee-Mumtaz
8:07 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 13, 2023)
“Dev saab introduced a style, which nobody could and can match up to,” says veteran actress Mumtaz, who worked with him in two renowned films Tere Mere Sapne (1971) and Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971).
Last month, on the birth centenary of the evergreen actor (September 26), reminiscing fond memories of him, she shared, “Jis tarah se woh bhaagte the, apna sar hilate the… I don’t even think people of this generation can carry off his style and gestures along with their acting. He had his individuality and people accepted that and showered him with love.”
The actress’ first film featured them as husband and wife, but when Dev Anand approached her for his second venture, she had some reservations. She recounts, “He had come home to meet me for Hare Rama Hare Krishna and narrated the story. He wanted me to play his sister in that film. I thought after playing a married couple, if we play brother-sister in our second film, won’t it look odd? So, I refused to play his sister and offered to play his heroine instead. He insisted that the sister had a bigger role, and that I can’t miss it. I was hell bent because Tere Mere Sapne mein logon ne hamari jodi ko, hamare scenes aur songs ko kaafi pasand kiya tha. He got my point and was very grateful to let me choose the part that I wanted to play in the film.”
About her personal equation with the legendary actor, Mumtaz shares, “Dev saab was very fond of me. I was very close to Dev saab and he would call me Mumzee. On set, he used to always call me to select his scarf. He would say, ‘Mumzee, come here.’ I would go to his make-up room where there would be six-seven scarves laid out and he would ask me to pick one for the scene. I would feel a sense of pride seeing Dev saab give importance to my choice.”
Mumtaz has stayed away from the limelight for decades now, but she looks beautiful and fit and, and gives Dev Anand credit for inspiring her. “He would always say, age is just a number and that one should look after themselves… apna khayal rakho aur achche lago, yeh mujhe Dev saab ne sikhaya hai,” she says.
When Dev Anand passed away in London on December 3, 2011, Mumtaz (who lives there) refused to see him one last time. “Afsos ki baat yeh hai ki main jahan rehti hoon – Mayfair, London mein – wahi kuch doori pe unka hotel tha jahan unki death hui thi. I remember people coming home and asking me to see him one last time, but I refused. I loved him too much to see him that way. I wanted him in my heart and mind as the evergreen Dev saab. Unhe waisa dekhna mujhse nahi bardasht hota.”
Mumtaz reveals why she turned down Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi
8:27 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; January 2, 2022)
Yesteryear actress Mumtaz is open to making a comeback in showbiz and was even offered Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web series Heeramandi that is said to feature Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditi Rao Hydari. As per reports, Mumtaz was offered a pivotal role, which required her to perform an elaborate mujra, but the actress declined it saying her husband would have a problem with her dancing at this age.
When Bombay Times reached out to her, a surprised Mumtaz said, “Aap logon se kabhi kuch cheez chhupti bhi hai kya? Kaise pata chal jaata hai aap logon ko? Well, yes, I was approached for this project. I had got a call from his office. It wasn’t him, but it was his secretary who was talking to me. I didn’t quite understand what my contribution would be to this project. I was told that there is some dance sequence. I didn’t see much meat in what was being offered.”
She added, “I am open to the idea of a comeback. But I will be returning after many years and would want to surprise my audience and show them that I can still act. I was also approached for two films recently, but I turned them down, too. Woh andar se ek feeling aani chahiye na... bass woh nahi aa rahi thi in all these projects. So, I said no. I am just waiting for an outstanding project to come my way. I don’t know where this point about my husband having a problem has come from. He shouldn’t have any problem.”
Mumtaz, who is known for movies like Aap Ki Kasam, Do Raaste and Tere Mere Sapne, says that she is an admirer of Bhansali’s school of cinema. “I enjoyed watching his movies like Devdas and Bajirao Mastani. His films are beautiful. He is quite a generous filmmaker and doesn’t shy away from spending on the lavish sets and costumes. I am just glad and ecstatic that a filmmaker of that stature thought of approaching me for his project. I like him and I wish he was working at the time when I was active as an actor. It would be a pleasure to collaborate with him,” she said.
The dress-saree in Brahmachari set a fashion trend-Mumtaz
8:15 AM
As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 16, 2020)
I remember Bhanu Athaiya as an intelligent and sophisticated lady who always looked serene and was never in a rush. She used to make mannequins of the actresses she designed for and tried the costumes on them before coming home for the final dress trial. Then, she’d come with her tailor and spend an hour watching the fitting closely. If she spotted even a slight fold, she’d immediately point it out to the masterji and tell him to pin it up and smoothen it.
She was one of the most dedicated designers I’ve worked with and my favourite, which is why I would always insist on her even though she was the most expensive at the time.
Not every producer could afford her, but many obliged because they knew I was comfortable with her. She designed my costumes in films like Patthar Ke Sanam, Brahmachari, Bandhan, and Roop Tera Mastana. For the latter, she charged Rs 5 lakh, an exorbitant sum back then, but she did not repeat a single costume and deserved every rupee she got.
I never liked to dance in sarees because I was afraid I would trip and fall. But for the evergreen Brahmachari chartbuster, “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche”, I was told I had to wear a saree and we sat together for an hour-and-a-half, with her sketching various designs on her pad till she finally came up with a dress-saree. It could be zipped up once I wriggled into it and near the zip was the pallu, which we brought in front and clipped on. It was just perfect and thanks to her inventive creativity, I could do that energetic song and the costume went on to set a fashion trend. She was just amazing and I was so proud when my favourite designer went on to win an Oscar.
Main abhi zinda hoon, says Mumtaz on repeated rumours of her death
7:56 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 22, 2020)
“I am hale and hearty. Main abhi zinda hoon. I am glad someone called to check officially,” said yesteryear actress Mumtaz, when we called her, following the rumours of her demise. The actress has been at the receiving end of repeated death hoaxes since May 2019.
Talking to BT from her home in London, she said, “Is it some kind of a joke? Last year, it shook my family and everyone called in, worried sick. This is the third time this has happened, with the most recent being in March this year! I am very upset, and so are my family members, who are here in London with me. The Coronavirus lockdown has kept us all at home, together and safe. However, I have relatives around the world who got worried after reading what made the rounds recently. Mujhe kyun maarna chahte hain log?”
She added, “Jab marungi, toh meri family officially bata degi sabko. It won’t be a secret, but I can’t wrap my head around these death hoaxes. My nephew, Shaad Randhawa, lives in Mumbai. The least anyone can do is ask him or my sister about me. In times like these, when the world is fighting a pandemic, I wonder who thought of this insensitive hoax. I am not even stepping out of my house. My husband, Mayur (Madhvani), and I will be celebrating our 47th wedding anniversary on May 29. I hope this silences all these uncalled-for rumours.”
What is with people spreading rumours about my death, and that too, twice in a year-Mumtaz
8:04 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 6, 2019)
In a year, there have been two death hoaxes about yesteryear star, Mumtaz. Her nephew Shaad Randhawa, her daughter Tanya Madhvani and filmmaker Milap Zaveri had to issue clarifications about her being alive and healthy. The actress, pretty much sounding like a live-wire from London, told BT that she’s healthy and happy, leading a peaceful life away from the spotlight. Over to Mumtaz, who spoke to us about the trouble she faced owing to the hoax about her demise, the kind of love she gets from her family and friends and what will make her come back to the limelight.
It’s such a pleasure to connect with you, alive and kicking…
(Laughs) Yeah, sure it is. I am still alive, not dead yet. So, it’s not a ghost answering the phone. It’s me, Mumtaz. I’m surprised you don’t sound shocked like some others, who tried calling me and put the phone down when they heard my voice on the other side. It’s so strange that on the one hand, in India, people call me a legend and on the other, they are almost desperate for me to die.
Well, we don’t think that’s true, it was more like misinformation…
I am sure that’s not how it is, but what is with people spreading rumours about my death, and that too, twice in one year. They do this repeatedly and so, I don’t know what they really want. I am told a journalist did this, but shouldn’t that person be a little more cautious with his words? Agli baar agar sach hoga, then no one will believe it. Sher aaya, sher aaya wali misaal ho jayegi.
What really happened on Friday night when the hoax of your demise spread across social media?
Oh my god! Don’t remind me. I was getting calls throughout the night from different quarters of the world. I had to make so many calls to my relatives, my husband, daughter and sister to tell them that ‘Hey, don’t believe anything, I am alive.’ Can you imagine doing this? I had to do it. My daughter Natasha is here with her kids. You should ask her what a nuisance this was. I got calls from unknown numbers and people just disconnected the line the moment they heard my voice. Ab pooch to nahi sakte ki Mumtaz aap zinda hain kya. Several of my fraternity members and their families called me because they were concerned. This went on till the wee hours. I was just laughing at the situation at times, ki yeh kya ho raha hai.
A similar situation had happened last year, too…
Natasha had nearly fainted when she heard it. She called me and she was so relieved to talk to me. I was with Tanya in Rome. Natasha said, ‘Mamma, mere toh pair ke neeche se zameen khisak gayi’. These hoaxes and unconfirmed news pieces about people dying are dangerous.
Your family must be so relieved that the news was just a hoax…
Yes, all of them were relieved. I am so blessed that I have such a beautiful family that loves me to bits. My husband, children, sons-in-law and my grandkids fill my life with so much happiness. I have everything I could have ever asked for. Aur kya maangu uparwale se? Bade bol nahi bolungi lekin, kabhi kabhi thak jaati hoon sab kuch sambhalte sambhalte. A friend of mine once asked me, what I ask for in my prayers. I said, ‘Nothing’. He’s given me more than what I wanted. Aap hi sochiye, I have a husband who calls me 10 times a day to ask about my well-being. The number is even more when I’m under the weather. He looks after me like one would look after an orchid; it’s very difficult to maintain it (laughs!).
Do you miss the life you led in the spotlight as a reigning movie star?
Shall I tell you one thing? I don’t miss the attention because I continue to get it; it’s just a little different in nature. There are very few people in the world who get the kind of love and respect I get from everyone — my peers, industry youngsters, my family, friends and well-wishers. Aise mein insaan kya miss karega? When I’m in Mumbai, I meet my colleagues and we have such amazing conversations. The younger actors like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan greet me with so much of love and respect. Dil kuch nahi chahta uske baad. Life is beautiful and I lead a happy, stress-free life. I just pray that the day I go from this world, I go in peace and in my sleep.
Would you consider returning to the big screen?
I don’t feel the need to do that. What is the point of working right now? I will soon turn 72. I don’t have that kind of stamina to run around because films are shot 24x7. I’ll have to report at work at whatever time I’m required. That is the discipline of this business that I haven’t forgotten. I will come back to work only if I ever have a shortage of money, because acting is the only job that I know. I will not hesitate to ask for work even if I am 100 years old, and I know our industry, they will happily give me work. It’s also the industry’s badappan that they don’t usually forget their seniors. People talk in such a negative way about the industry giving its own kids a chance sooner than they give an outsider. Par kyun nahi? Which other industry in the world does this for its own people? Natasha’s daughter Diani is six years old and is a good dancer. If she wants to become an actress in the future, I know that I can make one phone call for her to get her first break. After that, she has to have the guts to survive in the industry and find her way around. You have to be talented and ready to work hard and long hours. You will flop if you don’t give your best to your work. You can’t blame the industry for it; it’s your own failure.
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