We thought everyone has forgotten my father: Raveena Tandon

By Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, April 30 (IANS) Former actres Raveena Tadnon is happy that her father Ravi Tandon is being honoured by Dadasaheb Phalke Academy for his excellent work as a director in films like "Anhonee", "Khel Khel Mein" and "Khuddar" in the 70s.

"Recently, our family has gone through some trying times. We needed something good to happen to us. I was in London when I heard about dad getting the Dadasaheb for director. We're delighted and surprised. We thought everyone has forgotten the man who made so many super hits in the 1970s," said Raveena who featured in the hits like "Mohra" and "Dulhe Raja".

Apart from Ravi Tandon, B.R. Chopra will be conferred with the prestigious Phalke Ratna award and Rajesh Khanna will receive Phalke Golden Actor Wednesday at a function in Mumbai.

Raveena says that her father never stuck to one genre.

"He made films in such a wide variety of genres, from the suspense thriller in 'Anhonee', to the musical-whodunit in 'Khel Khel Mein' to the family saga 'Khuddar'. My dad was at one time synonymous with genre-hopping cinema. He never stuck to one specific style or cast.

"He worked with the whole industry from Amitabh Bachchan to Rishi Kapoor to Sanjeev Kumar.

"Yeah, agreed he didn't launch his daughter (giggle). He preferred to launch my brother Rajiv in a film called 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu' with Ranjita Kaur's sister Rubina, which bombed. The title was taken from a chartbuster from 'Khel Khel Mein'.

"Today, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh are identified by those songs. But who remembers my Dad? It saddens me because long before Ravi Chopra made 'Baghban' my dad made 'Zindagi' with Sanjeev Kumar and Mala Sinha, which was on the same theme of an old inseparable couple splintered by the family. My dad is very shy of honours and recognition."

The actress, who had quit movies after marrying distributor Anil Thadani, says that she owes everything to her father.

"He brought me up as more of a son than a daughter. Whatever I have I owe it to his name in the industry. If he had not been my father. I wouldn't have got an entry into films."

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