'I Was Becoming A Mini Dilip Kumar'

'Dilipsaab was an interesting mix of spontaneity and stylised acting.'

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Meenakshi Seshadri may have recently returned to Dallas, USA, to spend some time with her family, but she says, "I am so glad you have asked me to talk about being directed by Dilipsaab in the movie Kalinga. I would like to commemorate Dilipsaab on his 103 birthday on December 11."

The actress, who is looking stunning these days, abetted by a recent upskill in her makeup and wardrobe game, rewinds to the time when she was being directed by the legendary actor in his passion project, Kalinga, a 35-year-old film that has yet to grace the big screen.

"Working with him was memorable," Meenakshi says. "Honestly, I don't think I deserved that. He could have chosen anybody; I'm honoured that he wanted to work with me."

Did Dilip Kumar approach you to play the leading lady in his debut directorial venture, Kalinga?

Dilipsaab wanted to work with me.

I was chosen for Kalinga as per the director's requirement.

Then, of course, the producer Sudhakar Bokade went ahead and completed all the formalities.

It must have felt good to have Dilip Kumar select you among all your contemporaries.

I am a very philosophical person. It never occurred to me to compare and figure out why I was selected and not somebody else.

But I was extremely excited because Hindi cinema has this classic triumvirate -- the trio of Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.

I had just completed two home production films for Devsaab -- Sachhe Ka Bolbala and Main Tere Liye -- and he himself had directed the former.

Also, though I've never worked with Raj Kapoorji, I have worked with almost everybody else in the Kapoor family.

So to get an opportunity to work with Dilipsaab as a director in his official (laughs) maiden directorial venture was a big honour.

How would you summarise the experience of being directed by Dilip Kumar?