“I was always the highest paid actress,” Mumtaz on why she turns down Dance Deewane

Yesteryears’ screen diva Mumtaz who is now in Mumbai is looking forward to making a comeback on screen. “But it has to be something substantial, no? If I come back in something insubstantial it won’t be appreciated by my fans,” says Mumtaz who was surprised to know people still remembered and loved her.

“I am amazed at their memory. People come up to me here in Mumbai on the road asking for pictures. They want to know why I am not doing any films. Arrey baba, I can’t work for the sake of working.” She reveals that she had an offer to appear on Colors’ dance-reality show Dance Deewane which she seriously considered. “But I didn’t like the money that they were offering. Look, I will be frank. I was the highest-paid actress of my time. So if I make a comeback it should be on a par. So far, I was told Rekha was the highest-paid guest on Dance Deewane. She is my junior. She came into cinema after me. So it is only right that I be paid more than Rekha.”

The Diva known for her dancing and histrionics hastens to add that this is not about money. “God has given me more than enough. No, this is not about money. But if I make a comeback I must not be undervalued. By God’s grace, I am physically fit and I have a huge repertoire of songs to dance to. If and when I do come back fans won’t be disappointed.”

Mumtaz is fitter than ever. “I’ve lost weight,” she tells me “I am now looking better. Let’s face it, heroines have to look good on screen no matter what their age. Audiences come to see their favourite actors and they want to see them looking good constantly. They don’t care if you are unwell or if you are having a family problem. They just want to see their favourite stars looking their best.”

The screen queen who has regaled us in iconic films like Khilona, Tere Mere Sapne and Aaina made a conscious effort to lose weight for her comeback. “Yes, I do want to return to acting. In fact, I was offered a series right here in London. But I didn’t want to do it.”

So what does she want to come back with? “It has to be something my age, and at the same time, it has to be an interesting character. I would love to do a Hindi version of the film Monster-in-Law where Jane Fonda played the mother-in-law to Jennifer Lopez.”

So would Mumtaz play the mother-in-law or the daughter-in-law? The legend laughs, “Haha. Thank you. But I know my age and I am proud of it. The mother-in-law in Monster-in-Law is so wickedly interesting, constantly trying to trip over her daughter-in-law when no one is watching. I love it. Also, she is a rich glamorous woman.”

After retiring in 1977 when she was at the top of the game Mumtaz made a comeback in 1990 playing a hip cool mom to Prosenjit in Aandhiyan. But it was a flop.

Looking back Mumtaz feels the mother-son chemistry in Aandhiyan didn’t work. “I didn’t look old enough to be Prosenjit’s mom. It was unconvincing. But no regrets. I never regret anything.”

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based film critic who has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. He tweets at @SubhashK_Jha.

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