Raveena Tandon’s name is synonymous with awards and accolades. Recently, she received the most coveted Padma Shri 2023 (the fourth highest civilian honour). The Free Press Journal met the actress at her Bandra bungalow for an exclusive interaction. Excerpts:
How does it feel to receive the Padma Shri? What would you like to share?
I think honestly, I’ve been very blessed starting with my best debut award for Patthar Ke Phool (1991), life has come full circle. Being the recipient of the Padma Shri, I am very honoured that my body of work has been recognised. My web series Aranyak (2021) was actually based on a social message because we spoke about women empowerment and how they sacrifice their career. How they handle their homes and they are still giving the best to their jobs. That was the topic we had touched in it.
During the 1990s, you adopted Pooja and Chaya and have been a single mom to them. You have raised them with pride and dignity. How has this been possible?
I am a single mother, at least in this industry. I adopted two girls at the age of 21. People followed my footsteps. Earlier, I didn’t actually talk much about it as the media was pretty cruel in those days. Even if you wanted to do a good deed, it was better you did it quietly otherwise people would say, ‘She’s doing it for publicity’.
Go on…
What I or my foundation does and did during the Covid times or earlier, we have always done it quietly. We don’t want people following us with cameras or putting it out there on social media. As far as girls are concerned, it’s been a great journey. They are my best friends. I keep saying, ‘Tum log mere budhape ka sahara ho’ and keep laughing it away.
How do you bring strength to keep doing films and philanthropic work? You seem to have that Midas touch, which brings success in everything you touch. Elaborate?
Most definitely it’s my parents who have given me a sound upbringing. It’s very important to imbibe ethical values and morals in our children and to be a good citizen. Above all, one needs to be a good human being rather than being more inclined towards material success. I made my children believe in being a good human, and that’s what my dad imbibed in me. Material success also means a lot in this world. We need to work hard in order to achieve that.
What about your future films?
You will be seeing me in Ghudchadi, Patna Shukla, Karma Calling. I am going to sign another one. I am also making sequels but I won’t say much about them. There are web series sequels and we will start with the sequels soon. And I have signed a new show as well.
You have seen ups and downs in your profession. How did you deal with it all? Would you like to impart any message to the new generation of actors?
I tell everyone if you are hardworking and sincere to your work and talented, then no one can take it away from you. Yes, a little bit of luck matters sometimes. There are ups and downs but take it in your stride. It’s like when a child learns to walk he/she falls many times but he/she gets up and learns to walk further ahead and like a proud woman/man.
Talking about yellow journalism then, were you ever rubbed the wrong way?
I have been rubbed the wrong way many times. I have not done that to the people but people have done it to me.There have been times when there was a lot of rubbish written about me and I fought about it. I don’t like lies so I always fought till the end. If it’s true I will say, 'Yes, I have done it', and if I have done something wrong, I have the guts to stand up and say, 'I am sorry'. I am a human being and to err is human nature. But when people write something wrong that gets to my head, I fight tooth and nail till the end.
What are your thoughts on Twitter?
Earlier we would fight out for the scandalous headline used by journalists and try to get the truth. Unfortunately, once the scandalous headlines had hit, no editor wanted to hear your side of the story. Here you have Twitter, etc. and you can put it out there. I find Twitter very toxic and polarised. You say anything and there are 10 people writing crap below. They are jobless and have all the time in the world to sit down and write whatever they feel.
You have seen loads of ups and downs. What are your strengths that help you deal with all of it?
Life throws a lot at you and it’s up to you how you take it on. I take each failure positively. You should earn from that failure and move on. When you fall, don’t just keep sitting there, get up and walk ahead.
