Personal details
- Birth Date: 1942-10-02
- Birth Location: Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
- Parents: Bachubhai Parekh(Father)
- Professions: Producer, Director, Actress
Asha Parekh popped into the world on October 2, 1942, right in the heart of India, born to a Hindu dad and a Muslim mom—a pretty unique setup for the time. Being their only kid, her parents poured everything into her, especially her mom, who got her into classical dance before she could probably tie her own shoes. Turns out, she was a natural. She started performing on stage and, not long after, legendary director Bimal Roy spotted her and cast her in Maa (1957) at just ten. She did a couple more films as a child, but after one flopped, she bounced back to school. At sixteen, she figured she’d give acting another shot. One director dumped her, but then along came producer Sasadhar Mukherjee and Nasir Hussain, who handed her a lead in Dil Deke Dekho (1959). Boom—instant stardom. Asha and Shammi Kapoor clicked big time, starring together in classics like Teesri Manzil. Nasir Hussain kept casting her—they were a dynamite team. With her rising fame, she even got her mom gigs designing her film costumes. For a while, people only saw her as a glam dancer, but she shut them up with serious roles like in Do Badan and Kati Patang, which even scored her a Filmfare Award. Sure, there was drama—co-stars accused her of cutting their roles, but the facts just didn’t back that up. Through box office hits, the odd flop, and all the backstage gossip, Asha Parekh held her ground, racking up awards and becoming a true Bollywood icon.
Asha, wanting to shake off the blues of retirement, rounded up her old friends—Sadhana Shivdasani, Nanda Karnataki, Waheeda Rehman, Shammi, and Helen—for regular hangouts. They'd rotate houses, mostly just eating, gossiping, and catching movies together. Asha even encouraged other retired stars to do the same, swearing by the magic of good company. In 2013, she, Waheeda, and Helen—still lively—took off on a ten-day Scandinavian cruise. The others, stuck with health issues, had to skip it. Sadly, time caught up with them: Asha was there to say goodbye at Nanda’s funeral in 2014, Sadhana’s in 2015, and Shammi’s in 2018. Even with all the glitz long gone, those bonds stuck around, because honestly, nothing beats old friends who get you—especially when the spotlight fades.
referencennShe gets asked if she’s got a guy in her life and just shoots back, “Of course there was. I’m a normal woman. I may be a nice maiden. But I’m certainly no ice maiden.” That’s the kind of line that sticks with you—she’s not here to play the whole “untouchable damsel” routine. Sure, she’s got her image, but she’s not about to pretend she’s some kind of robot with no feelings. The story kind of weaves around her dealing with people’s perceptions, you know? There’s this tension between how the world sees her—maybe a bit too perfect, a bit too distant—and who she actually is: a woman with her own desires, her own messiness. The movie digs into all that—the labels, the rumors, the way everyone thinks they know her. She’s relatable, just trying to figure it all out and not let the world’s expectations freeze her out.
October 2, 1942
Konidela Ram Charan
Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Bachubhai Parekh(Father) and Surekha
82 years old