DNA
 
Mumbai, May 7: Hema Malini has often expressed her fascination for dancing diva Vyjayanthimala, to the extent of wishing to stage a dance performance with the veteran. “Yes, I know she is keen to perform with me. I’m an exponent of pure classical Bharatnatyam. But Hema follows the simplified dance form, which makes it easier for people to understand,” says Vyjayanthimala, who began her tryst with dance 40 years ago.

The nimble-footed danseuse continues animatedly about her abiding passion, “Recently, I gave a performance at Delhi’s Kamani auditorium. I even give lecdoms (lecture demonstrations). I sing while I teach - from classical music to traditional texts, the meaning of which I often ask scholars to explain.”

Enjoying her research on the temple dance form, she further discloses, “I will be compiling a DVD of my dances,” adding “God gives me the energy to dance. Doing what you like, keeps you happy.”

Vyjayanthimala, who gave four successive hits ‘Devdas’ (1955), ‘Naya Daur’ (1957) ‘Madhumati ‘(1958) and  ‘Ganga Jamuna’ (1961) with Dilip Kumar, is glad that the thespian has been honoured with the Ratna Phalke Award. “He is a living legend. We made a successful team and shared a good rapport. Reacting is more important than acting and I could grasp well,” she says.

Revisiting the past, she elaborates, “He was very serious and attentive about his work. Once on the sets of a film, I heard somebody playing the sitar. The music was coming from Dilip’s greenroom. I realised that he was rehearsing for his role, which required him to play the sitar. He wanted to handle the instrument perfectly.”

Vyjayanthimala continues, “Dilip was not a serious person though. In fact, on Bimalda’s (Roy) sets he would break into Bengali and have fun. However, while playing tragic roles came easily to him, comedy was not his forte. He had to work hard on being funny.” A ‘reserved person’, Vyjayanthimala, appreciated Dilip’s ‘respectful and courteous’ disposition. Nostalgically, she muses, “Those days, characters were so believable. The music and the lyrics were so beautiful.”

Ask the archetypical beauty whether she misses romancing the camera and she replies, “I don’t miss it. Channels still screen my old films. The younger generation also watches them. So the memories are kept alive.” Any plans to launch a dance institute? “I am an institute myself,” she shoots with inexorable confidence.