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Asha Parekh: I didn’t work with Dilip Kumar

PANAJI: Veteran actor Asha Parekh, who ruled the Hindi film industry in the 1960s and ‘70s, has worked with almost all the stars of that time but she consciously stayed away from one actor, superstar Dilip Kumar.

Ms. Parekh, who is known for her frank and forthright attitude, said that she refused to be cast with Mr. Dilip Kumar because of the simple fact that she did not like the superstar.

The 67-year-old Ms. Parekh is being felicitated at the ongoing 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here for completing 50 years in the film industry.

She started her career as a child artiste under the screen name Baby Asha Parekh in the film Aasmaan in 1952. Thereafter noted film-maker Bimal Roy saw her dance at a stage function and cast her at the tender age of 12 in Baap Beti 1954.

Ms. Parekh’s first lead role was in 1959, Dil Deke Dekho, with Shammi Kapoor after which she never looked back, going on to work with the biggest names of tinsel town such as Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Jitendra, Manoj Kumar and Dharmendra, to name a few.

The actress has been given a special golden jubilee retrospective at the IFFI this year, which saw the screening of her Dil Deke Dekho and Kati Patang. - PTI

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Asha Parekh: I didn’t work with Dilip Kumar

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