Farida Jalal opens up on being typecast for decades: 'Respect and Status are hard to come by, you have to make sacrifices'

Veteran actress Farida Jalal has seen a lot in her personal and professional life, and she often talks about it all. She was sometimes typecast as a sister, sometimes as a mother, and sometimes as a grandmother. Confined to supporting roles, she brought such vibrant life to these characters through her acting that she became the familiar face of loving on-screen relationships. Farida has delivered a stellar performance across nearly six decades in every medium, from cinema screens to television and OTT, including films like ‘Mammo’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’.In her interview with Navbharat Times, Farida said that she had set a limit for herself and promised never to cross it. Was this rule ever a problem for her? She answers, "Look at it. I decided to maintain a certain limit and not go beyond it. Despite that, I've reached this point. I'm successful, right? I'm still working today. The audience has given me so much love. Look, everyone can earn money, whether through good or bad means, but respect and that status are hard to come by. You have to make a lot of sacrifices for it."When asked how, despite being named Best Actress alongside superstar Rajesh Khanna in a talent hunt, she mostly ended up playing the hero’s sister early in her career, she explained that she never really wanted to be a heroine. She says, "No, because back then, heroines were just singing. They were getting songs and nice clothes. Whereas sisters were getting all the drama." There are some great scenes coming up where I could showcase my acting chops, so should I choose that or wear chiffon saris and sing? Why should I be bothered? When I get to do more in the role of a sister, why shouldn't I do it?”.On the professional front, Farida Jalal was recently seen in ‘O Romeo’ opposite Shahid Kapoor, while Aruna Irani featured in ‘Kesari Veer’ alongside Suniel Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, and Sooraj Pancholi.