Asha Parekh on her industry BFFs: Waheeda, Helen and I often meet for lunch, movies

Veteran actor Asha Parekh might no longer be acting in films, but she makes sure that she still keeps in touch with her fellow colleagues, who are more of friends. In fact, Asha says she is quite social when it comes to meeting her fraternity people, and they often catch up. “I meet Waheeda (Rehman) ji, Helen... unfortunately Sadhana and Nanda are no more. We go out for lunches and movies. We go to each other’s houses also and it’s great,” says Asha, who along with Waheeda and Helen, even went on a 10-day vacation—Scandinavian cruise—in 2013.

In her book, The Hit Girl, published by Om Books Internationals, Asha talks about the depression she went through after mother died, and how Waheeda supported her through that phase.

Talking about stress and work pressure, Asha says the present crop of actors have to deal with so much competition. “They are very stressed out. There is so much of promotion and media glare all the time. Media people are always behind them. At the same time, it’s commendable that they are so grounded,” says Asha, adding that the stress of box-office collections was there at her time as well. “Box office collections used to be there earlier too. Money does matter, after all, someone has put their hard-earned money in the film,” she says.

Asha, who has worked in films such as Dil Deke Dekho (1959) and Teesri Manzil (1966), says her journey has been spectacular. “My first film was a superhit. It is a nice memory. Going down the memory lane, you feel that you have achieved a lot,” recounts the actor.

Happy with the way her book shaped up and turned out to be, Asha wants to just take it easy now. “There are no plans for future at this moment. I just want to take rest. I have worked very hard,” she quips.