May 23rd, 2011

Sona – Interview

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“I’m ‘ The Soul of Madhubala’!” – Sona

A lookalike of the yesteryears’ beauty, Madhubala, gets married to the king of the underworld. His death leaves her estranged by his first family. She fights for her rights. A perfect potboiler, but it’s not so funny when it comes to reality.

Sona first came to limelight, when her uncanny re­semblance to the late Madhubala was noticed not only by the industry folks but also by the public who saw her acting in a few movies.

Haji Mastan also saw her and fell for her hook, line and sinker. Next we heard that Sona had settled down to marital bliss with the Don.

“Sahab really loved me and his first wife was very good to me. She would actually feed me with her own hands. But the day he died, she and her children changed their attitude towards me. I suddenly felt very alone.”

Mastan has left a lot of property behind him and obviously his children don’t want to share it with their step mother.

“We had a proper Nikaah-nama and I was still mar­ried to him when he died. The only way they can get rid of me is by de­faming me. While he was alive, I never took anything from him. He gave me security. But now, I will definitely take my share of his property. According to the Muslim law, I should get it.”

The going has been quite tough for this actress. It was rumored that Mastan died of shock when he caught Sona in bed with another man.

“Haji Mastan was such a man that if he had caught me in bed with another man, he would have shot me there and then. I was very happy being his wife but I can give you a list of actresses’ names who have slept with him for small favors, yes, even while I was very much an integral part of his life.”

While fighting for her rights, Sona’s also busy redesigning her bungalow to start an edting room within. “This bungalow belongs to my mother Mukhtiar Begum but people think Sahab left it to me. Let me make it clear, that except for love and respect I took nothing from him. That is why I’m struggling again to start my life all over again.”

She’s going about it quite meticulously no doubt. Presently, Sona is doing a film, Milan Ki Aas. There are also a couple of serials in which she’s acting. And of course, her dream project is a 52-episode serial ‘Anarkali Ki Mohabbat’. Everything is finalized, all she needs to do is start the shooting. Sona is also singing and arranging music along with nephew Naseer for Bollywood hits.

She’s also cutting another album in which she plans to sing songs from Madhubala’s movies. “I’ll title it, ‘The Soul Of Madhubala’ because that’s how I feel.” There are people who swear that she’s the late actress’ hid­den sister, but nobody will ever know the truth, till Sona says it herself.

At present, she’s just concentrating on getting her career straight.

“People are spreading rumors that I’m doing sidey roles and I’m a mere extra. Even when I was 16, I did not do sidey roles. Why should I do it now? For six years I was just a housewife, but it’s high time I re­worked on myself.”

The fact that Asha Bhosle is encouraging her to sing gives her maximum joy.

“Ashaji was Sahab’s rakhi sister, so she treats me as her bhabhi. She tells me, ‘Sona, everybody’s singing my songs, why don’t you do it too’. I made two films, Secret Agent and Saat Ladkiyan. Ashaji sang the songs but never charged a single paisa. Thank God, there are still nice people like her.”

While Sona is singing the Bollywood remixes, she’s also preparing herself to play Anarkali on the small screen.

“That will be my tribute to Madhubalaji.” (This interview was conducted in 1996)

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