Raveena Tandon on Padma Shri honour: I think my daughter is very proud of the fact that I could play multiple roles in real life – Exclusive – Times of India

How are you feeling? Has the feeling of being honoured with a Padma Shri sinking in yet?

It is sinking in. Luckily for me, all my friends, family, loved ones and fans, who I refer to as well-wishers, the joy and celebration on their faces is making me feel overwhelmed. That’s helping the process of it sinking in.

You have been awarded the Padma Shri for your artistic contribution as well as your philanthropy, before we go to your work as an actor, can you recall the journey of social work and philanthropy?

I’ve been doing this since a very, very long time. I think since I was in the standard 8, I’d been following my mom. She used to do a lot of work for NGOs and orphanages. That’s how I think it was imbibed in me. I feel I’m the pioneer in single parent adoption because even when it was not legal to be a single mother, I kind of took legal guardianship of two girls. And today it’s so gratifying to see them as successful, young, independent, fierce women. I’m very proud of that. In the 90s, I was the one who initiated the CSR activity, which now involves big companies. But at that time, when magazines used to ask me for photo shoots, I used to say, let’s do it with my kids and my orphanage kids. I’ve been doing these mini CSR activities quietly, but steadily since the 90s. And now with my Rudra Foundation, I’m doing it even more actively.

In a career spanning 3 decades, which of your films and characters created the maximum impact on audiences minds?

I think the body of work that I’ve had has been quite varied. I had a release like Shool alongside Dulhe Raja, while Aks and Ziddi hit the screens at the same time, too. I had that entire commercial and parallel cinema thing happening at the same time. And I’m very grateful to all the audiences who accepted me in all the roles, whether it was Manjari Bhabhi or my character in Satta or the role of a victim of marital violence in Daman. Likewise, while I was playing Kiran in Dulhe Raja or I was playing Neeta in Aks, or Roma in Mohra, it was all accepted. I think I was one of those few lucky ones who kind of struck a balance somewhere and the audiences accepted me in all kinds of characters.

Today a lot of my songs are also remembered, which are being now remixed, whether it’s Sheher Ki Ladki or Akhiyon Se Goli Mare, or Tip Tip Barsa Paani. I’m proud of my entire body of work, the spectrum of things that I could pull off.

Your daughter wrote a very heartfelt message for you when you won the Padma Shri. What’s the best message you’ve got from your family or how have they reacted to your honour?

I think you could see the joy on all their faces and I think I’m really lucky that my children were there. My husband was there to see that. I would have loved it if my parents were also there. But unfortunately, they could not make it. I know my dad is definitely watching from above. I think my daughter is very, very proud of the fact that I could kind of swing everything. She penned that note because she’s seen me being a mother, a daughter, a wife and a sister. She’s also seen my performances. She’s old enough to see my performances in KGF2 and in Aranyak.

Honestly, I chose Aranyak because it had such an important message about working women. And the strength that they need and how families need to support them and their ideas. These things have made a good impression on my daughter, which you can see in that little heartfelt note.

A lot of people were surprised that you hadn’t been honoured with the Padma Shri already. Are you happy that the honour finally arrived?

A lot of people on my Twitter feed came out and said that this was long overdue. ‘Haven’t you won this before?’ they asked I said, no, I haven’t. Younger ones before me have won, but I haven’t. Working in Aranyak and KGF2 also made a difference. KGF2 is the third highest grossing movie in Indian cinema. I’m so proud to be associated with that franchise.