An honest confession

Raveena Tandon, who was a top star in Bollywood from the nineties to the 2000s, has said her filmmaker father Ravi Tandon didn’t believe she could be an actress, because she never had any formal training in acting or dance.

“My father didn’t believe that I could get into acting because I didn’t attend acting or dance classes before entering films. After finishing school, I immediately faced the camera, so he was bit shocked. I think he was pleasantly shocked and happy,” Raveena recalled her father’s reaction on seeing her on the screen for the time, while interacting with the media at the third Entertainment Trade Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday. Ravi Tandon made films in the seventies and the eighties, and his notable works are Majboor (1974), Khel Khel Mein (1975), Waqt Ki Deewar (1981), and Khud-Daar (1982). He was given the lifetime achievement award at the Entertainment Trade Awards.

Old ties

On the work front, Raveena Tandon is one of the judges on season nine of the dance reality show, “Nach Baliye”, being produced by Salman Khan. 

“It’s a coincidence that I worked with Salman in my debut film ‘Patthar Ke Phool’, and now I am judging ‘Nach Baliye’, which is being produced by his production house. It’s a super-hit show. I am thankful to the audience that they have appreciated our show. I would urge them to keep loving the show so that we can entertain them,” said Raveena.  

Being grateful

Every year Raveena Tandon celebrates Ganapati Festival at home. Asked what she would wish from Ganpati in this year, she said: “I never wish for anything from Ganpati Bappa. I am just grateful for whatever he has given me. When I go to any religious places, I only thank God for giving me everything. Coincidentally, whenever Ganapati Bappa arrives at our home, good things happen to us.”

Raveena urged people to celebrate the Ganapati festival in eco-friendly manner. “I want to urge people that now our mother earth is in danger. I feel people shouldn’t bring statues of Ganapati Bappa that are chemically painted and made from plaster of paris. I think Ganapati Bappa himself wouldn’t want people to pollute the earth. We are spreading poison in our seas and lakes, so I feel people should celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner,” she said. — IANS