After Maine Pyar Kiya, we saw you in just one film with Manisha Koirala, Dil Ke Jharoke Main, in 1997. When and why did you quit acting?
I went off from acting for a long time. When we were acting in those days, there was not much happening content wise, it was nothing great. All these people kept calling and saying, ‘aap ghoda chalaoge, aap swimming costume pehnoge’. But there was nothing else to the role. There was hardly any clarity in the story or the character. So, I was doing a lot of other things. I was an air hostess with Air India for 15 years. I’ve been a hairstylist for a long time. Of course, I did a lot of theatre in between. Theatre has always been really close to my heart. But it is very time consuming and doesn’t pay your bills.
I had always wanted to do hairstyling so I studied it in New York. I have a little setup of my own. I am a hairstylist even now. That’s what I do. I have a very niche clientele, only by appointment. I have been doing this for the past 25 years. Flying and hairstyling have always been my passion. Acting just happened to me.
How did you end up being an actor?
Back in the 80s, when you were in college you’d go do some sort of modelling here and there. People see you. A director asked me whether I’d like to do a play and I said okay. I went for a reading and I got the role. It was a small role. Then he again cast me in another play which was opposite Naseeruddin Shah. I was the main lead in it, way back in 1984. Then I started doing a lot of theatre. And that’s where Sooraj ji (Barjatya) saw me and cast me in Maine Pyar Kiya. It was never a planned thing. That movie just fell into my lap. I was like, ‘Chalo kar lete hain.’ I never had an inclination towards making movies as a career.
What happened after Maine Pyar Kiya?
The movie was a huge hit. I did a movie and a couple of serials after that only because I enjoyed that. But I couldn’t just work with anybody. I only liked working with certain people.
What kind of roles were you offered after Maine Pyar Kiya?
You know how the Hindi film industry works. And in those days, if you have played a vamp in one film, you will always be a vamp. Now things have changed. So much work is happening.
How many negative roles did you reject?
I didn’t reject roles because they were negative. I rejected those offers because I couldn’t understand what they wanted me to do. Half the time it was, will you wear a swimming costume? Will you ride a horse? But what is the story? Why am I there? Kuchh toh hona chahiye na?
If I had come to Bombay from a small town wanting to make acting as a career, I probably might have done those roles. But for me acting was never an intention; it happened by chance. I did a film titled Ahmaq with Mani Kaul, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It had Shah Rukh Khan in it. It was released on Doordarshan. We shot in Goa. It was a lovely film. I don’t think I’ve ever had any bad co-stars. It was nice working with SRK and Salman was fantastic during Maine Pyar Kiya.
While working with SRK during his early days, did you have an inkling that he will become such a huge star?
No! That time we were just going with the flow. Dimaag mein aisa kuchh tha bhi nahin. We were all just happy to be working together.
When did you decide to quit films?
Around 1990. I had signed Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke with Aamir Khan. But I got a call from Air India that my training is going to start. So, Aamir’s sister used to also fly with us, too. Aamir’s dad Tahir Hussain was producing the film. So, I went to him saying, ‘Uncle I have just got my call from Air India. What should I do?’ He said, ‘Beta you have to decide whether you want to do training or this film.’ Then he asked me, ‘Beta aapke dimaag mein koi aur hai kya?’ I told him that I had recently worked with Navneet Nishant in Goa for three months. That’s how Navneet got that role.
But I did that one film whilst I was flying, Dil Ke Jharoke Mein starring Manisha Koirala and Vikas Bhalla. It was UTV’s first feature film. Air India were very good in that sense. They would give me leaves. I did some theatre as well during that time. Then I did a serial with Pallavi Joshi titled Arohan.
Now I am doing a web series with director Kapil Kaustubh Sharma and Zeenat Aman. It’s titled Margaon The Closed File. We just finished shooting.
How did people pursue you and convince you to return to acting?
If somebody calls me and if it’s a good role then I’d love to do it. It’s not that I have stopped working because I don’t want to work. I stopped acting because I was not getting offers which I enjoyed doing. Kapil was casting. He had already cast Pallavi Joshi, Suchitra Krishnamoorthy, Zeenat Aman, Kitu Gidwani, Liliput and others. He was looking for one more actress.
My friend Mahabhanu Modi was already cast for the show. Mahabhanu suggested my name because I had just done a play with her. Kapil asked her who’s Pervien? Then he exclaimed, ‘Oh she was in Maine Pyar Kiya. I am a big fan. Where is she now?’ Then he called me up and things just fell into place. In fact, my husband (Shahrukh Sirus Irani) is also acting in this series with me. And my daughter is also part of the cast. Kapil saw my Instagram account and asked me whether my daughter would do a role. I told him to audition her. And mind you their roles are bigger than mine. I have a very small role.
Are you in touch with your co-stars from the past, like Salman, Shah Rukh or Sooraj Barjatya?
No, I am not in touch with any of them. Because I never had any aspirations towards acting. Also because I stay in Colaba, I hate traveling to the suburbs. I hate that whole thing about going to an audition. It bugs the life out of me.
I was lucky to work with Rajshri Productions in my first film. They treated me so well. I think they spoiled me for the industry. Because when you work with such great people you expect others to also behave and treat you nicely.
