Mumbai: On Vyjayantimala’s 91st birthday on Tuesday, Saira Banu wished the actress, whom she lovingly referred to as “akka” and recalled her first meet during a song shoot.
Sharing a picture with Vyjayanthimala, Saira wrote: “Wishing my favourite, Padma Vibhushan, Vyjayantimalaji (Akka Elder Sister) a very happy birthday! As I write about her, you will come to know how she became Akka to me.”
Talking about her “first memory” of Vyjayanthimala, Saira Banu said it was when “I was visiting Mehboob Studios, with my mother, who was visiting her friend Mrs. Akhtar Mehboob Khan.”
“I was thrilled to see such a spectacular song number of ‘Radha Krishna’, where Vyjayantimalaji was swirling in a beautiful Ghagra Choli. Next, we met when I started working in ‘Junglee’.”
Saira Banu recalled how Vyjayanthimala saw her at a film premiere and fondly touched her cheek and called her “beautiful”.
“I think I did not wash my face that week! I always loved the pairing of Sahib with Vyjayantimalaji; the pair has given the maximum number of hits together, and my all-time favourite is the classic ‘Gunga Jumna’.”
Saira said Vyjayanthimala did a “fabulous job” as Dhanno.
“Sahib worked very hard on her diction to record the Purbi dialogues on tape with the correct pronunciations and dialect. There was a certain understanding between Sahib and Akka, and the onscreen chemistry worked in their favour,” Saira Banu shared.
The “Nehle Pe Dehla” actress said that Vyjayantimala once quoted that she learned a lot working with late legendary star Dilip Kumar, whom Saira Banu refers to as Sahib.
“it was amazing watching him sink into a character and become oblivious of all else. However, once there came an unfortunate misunderstanding between them, and somehow, after shooting for ‘Ram Aur Shyam’ for a few days, she was replaced,” said Saira Banu.
She added: “Sahib and Akka, along with her husband Dr. Bali, would keep running into each other in Delhi at functions and celebration dinners. During one such meeting, the four of us met. Sahib and Dr. Bali sat together and chatted merrily, whereas Akka and l huddled and talked.”
“This went on for a while, and each of them would avoid meeting the other’s gaze until I got fed up and brought the two of them together to patch up as friends again. That was quite a feat!”
Saira Banu revealed Vyjayantimala and her son would keep visiting her and her late husband.
“After this smooth sailing, Akka and her son Suchendra would always visit us at home whenever travelling from Madras. Once, there was a complicated issue troubling both of them for a long time, and Sahib and I, with sheer good luck, managed to solve that complex situation completely,” she said.
Saira Banu concluded: “Ever since, Vyjayantimala labelled me as her ‘angel,’ and as for me, Vyjayantimala turned into Akka.”
