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Three women from the industry relive their childhood memories
Shweta Prasad, the winner of a National Award for best child artiste in Makdee, has landed into a world of controversies. In the news lately for the wrong reasons, she looks back with affection on her days as a child artiste. “It was fun because unlike many child actors, I didn’t do numerous films, dozens of serials and scores of ads. It was just Makdee with Vishal Bhardwaj, then Iqbal with Nagesh Kukunoor. Then I did an ad directed by Gulzar saab. It was probably the last thing that Gulzar saab directed. And the three days I spent shooting with him were like going to an acting school,” sighs Shweta.
She says she never missed out on a normal school life. “My parents were very clear on this issue. Unlike other child artistes, my school life and play-time were not spent on sets. I did just a few films and then I quit completely to concentrate on my studies before returning as an adult actor.”
Recalling the wonder of winning the National Award at that young age Shweta chuckles, “I was 12. I didn’t even know what the National Award was. I remember going to my school and there they were blaring my name and the announcement about my National Award from the speakers in every class.”
Shweta doesn’t feel it’s difficult for child artistes to make the transition into grown-up acting. Today when so much has happened in Shweta’s life she looks back on her days as a child artiste with much joy. “As a child I did just enough work to keep me happy. I found time to practise my classical music and also to play with friends and chill with family.”
Nandita Das: taking up a social responsibility
Nandita Das former chairperson of Children’s Film Society agrees that there is a paucity of films for younger audience. “Unfortunately, here economics gets in the way of everything, and therefore art suffers. It’s no different in films. Because of that, people don’t want to take a chance and explore this genre. But the first challenge is to attract good writers and directors to make films for us. But I am glad to share that the quality of submissions have hugely improved and we are soon going to come out with a string of wonderful films in both, live action and animation.”
As a mother to a son, she too is worried how movies and TV affect kids. “I didn’t grow up seeing mainstream films, as my parents didn’t. We had a TV after eight years of everybody else. But I didn’t feel deprived, because I was happy doing so many other things that seemed more exciting. Playing outside, going to music and dance concerts, exhibitions, reading etc. Of course, these times are different from those. The exposure and onslaught of media is different. But I think parents do play a big role in providing children with the right exposure, in slowing cultivating their interest. Vihaan doesn’t watch TV… at least not yet! But of course it worries me to see him and other kids grow in today’s environment. The reality shows are putting a lot of pressure on children which can be very harmful for their emotional growth. So there is a need to clearly define children’s films, taking them into confidence,” she says.
Daisy Irani: The child artiste who lost her childhood
Daisy and her sister Honey Irani were small wonders. They captured millions of hearts at a young age but lost their own precious childhood in the process. Recalling her non-existent childhood, Daisy says, “Honey and I had no childhood, no education. We didn’t go to school. We were pushed into acting by our parents. By the time we grew aware of our predicament, our childhood was gone. We made a lot of money, but got none of it. Our mother blew it all up but no regrets,” she says.
It was Meena Kumari who made the rigours of studio life at such a tender age a bit tolerable. “The love that I never got from my mother, I got from Meenaji. I pretended she was my mother, and looked forward to working with her whenever I could. Luckily for me, after my first film Bandish with her, she made sure I played her son in Ek Hi Rasta and other films. In fact, my last film as a teenager Gomti Ke Kinare was with Meenaji. She was my sunshine woman,” Daisy says about her association with the legendary actress.
About her marriage to the screenplay writer, late KK Shukla, the actress says, “I married very young. I was stupid and impulsive. My husband taught me the virtue of restraint. He gave me three lovely children. Two of them, a son and daughter, are connected with showbiz and my second daughter is a teacher. My daughters live with me. My son lives close by with his three dogs.”
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