What was your initial reaction to the idea of your big film Seeta Aur Geeta being made into a serial?
Honestly, I wasn’t too happy. But later, I felt that since it was on TV, it’s okay. I wouldn’t have liked it if a film had been made.

But Chaalbaaz was based on Seeta Aur Geeta and it was a hit.
It was based on my film, but this is a remake.

The serial is coming 37 years after the film.
Do you think today’s generation will connect with it?
Seeta Aur Geeta is an evergreen subject. It is humorous, light-hearted and projects the concept of good versus bad. And since it has the girl playing the central role, it is even better. Heroines rarely get a chance to do such roles.

Of the two characters Seeta and Geeta, which is your favourite?
I like both of them, but I think I am more like Geeta, rather I have become like her, outspoken and aggressive. My daughters used to love watching the film when they were children.

Tell us some memorable incidents that happened during the shoot,
There are many memories but the one scene that gave me the jitters was the one where I’m perched on top of a fan. When Ramesh Sippy narrated the scene to me I thought it was a joke. He told me it was important as it had a funny incident preceding it. Still, I was quite scared and I asked him to do it himself first.
Frankly, whenever Rameshji asked me to do something that was unusual I made him do it first, like the tanga scene in Sholay. I had never driven a tanga in my life and was quite apprehensive.
Another incident that comes to my mind is the skating scene with Sanjeev Kumar. It was great fun to be on the skates and the song Hawa ke saath saath filmed on us was beautiful. In fact, all the songs composed by R D Burman in the film were great. I hear that they are also using the songs in the serial.

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