MUMBAI: Asha Parekh started her career as a child artist under the screen name Baby Asha Parekh. Years later, film producer Subodh Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in Dil Deke Dekho (1959), opposite Shammi Kapoor, which made her a huge star. It also started a long association with Nasir, who cast her as his heroine in Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), and Caravan (1971).
Asha Parekh had once spoken about why she decided to quit acting. In an old interview, Asha had said that she was approached for the role of a mother but it didn't make her happy. Recalling a certain film, Asha said that the male actor would arrive on set in the evening for a shot scheduled in the morning and she didn't want to put herself through it. Speaking about Amitabh Bachchan, she said that in his 'second innings' he is cast as 'the central character'. Asha added that she doesn't get 'these sort of opportunities'.
She added, "There was no way I could put myself through all of this. I didn't want to wait from morning till evening to give a shot. I decided I didn't want to work anymore. It wasn't a difficult decision as such. You have to accept certain situations in life. I am ageing so I should take it gracefully."
After she quit acting, she became a television director with the Gujarati serial Jyoti. Under her production company, Akruti, Asha produced serials like Palash ke Phool, Baaje Payal, Kora Kagaz and Dal Mein Kaala. In 2008, she was a judge on the reality show Tyohaar Dhamaaka on 9X.
She is considered one of the most influential actresses of all time in Hindi cinema.[4] In 1992, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contribution to the field of cinema.
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Credits: Hindustan Times
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