Absolutely not. I am grateful on being given this award. Though, I would
certainly add one thing — when recepients get old, they usually are given this
award, or other Lifetime Achievement Awards, but I’m lucky to be given it
while I’m still young (she laughs).
“It
means that the evening of my career has not yet set. My work is still not over.
I am still in my saddle. What is most notable about the reactions of my friends
and well-wishers is that they unanimously advised me to be proud of my work. Not
one person said that now that I have been given this honour, I should hang up my
boots and take it easy.
“Another
thought that struck me when I received the award was that, like me, other
artistes should be given the award when they are still hale and hearty.
Definitely not at the fag end of their lives. There doesn’t seem to be much
charm in receiving an award when one’s end is near. The only feeling then
would be a nonchalant ‘okay’. But if you receive it at the time like I did,
the recepient can go on to greater heights. Just as this award inspires me to
work more diligently. I assure you, so will it be for other recepients.
“The
news of the award came to me from two people. BR Choprasaab was the first person
who broke the news to me. He rang me up and informed me, ‘Sister, the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award has been announced and you’re the winner!’ I treat
him as a brother. I got my real break in BR films. It was the era of rising
singers like sister Lataji, Geeta Roy and Shamshad Begum. Going against the
diktat of others, he gave me the offer of singing all the songs of Naya Daur. He
also gave me the opportunity of singing the lilting songs of films like Dhool Ka
Phool, Waqt etc.
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