Quotes from Saira Banu

My mother Naseem Bano who was called the first 'Pari Chehra' or beauty queen of the film industry, had taken me to London after she saw me taking fancy to her ghaghra, lipstick and dance to the tunes of her film songs. For her, academics were more important than films.

When I stopped my work in films and took over the management of the house, sometime after marriage, my new avatar was replicated hilariously by Dilip Sahab a few times having me and my mother in splits.

I started my life as an admiring fan, and fortunate am I to marry him and see the different aspects and qualities of this great human being who was not like any of the people I had met and spoken to.

We don't want any starry trappings that would make us obsessed with ourself and our image.

In the very early years of our marriage I took seriously ill and I had to be hospitalised in London. Leaving everything aside, my Jaan was by my side, staying awake at times while I slept secure in the knowledge that I have strong hands clasping my hand, praying silently for my recovery.

No marriage is perfect. How can it be, when as human beings we are not perfect?

Ours has been as good and enduring a marriage as so many marriages that have survived the ups and downs for four decades.

If I have another life at all I will once again beseech Allah to give me the blessing of living this life again.

My grandmother Shahmshad Begum was an accomplished classical singer. And I'd often urge her to teach me. She would demand that I sit and practice singing with her, which I never did. But I finally did sing in Mohan Kumar Saab's 'Aman.'

While my brother Sultan and I studied in England, my mother Naseem Banu would take us for a holiday to Europe in our vacations which began sometime in July and from there, she would always bring us to India without fail. She was insistent that we never lose track of our Indian values.

I could have easily carved out a niche, but I realised that Saira Banu the actress can be replaced, but nobody can substitute my duty towards my family.

Well, Dilip saab was a family friend; he knew my parents. So we were always invited when there was a function at his place - and vice versa.

I am as attached to my career as a producer as I was to my career as an actress.

Saab never asked me to give up my career. In fact, he encouraged me to continue acting after marriage. But, after a while, my heart was not in my career. I just wanted to take care of Saab.