'Not one single person came to Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini for autograph at the airport,' says Nausheen Ali Sardar: 'Aaj sooraj ugg raha hai toh aapko salaam...'

Actress Nausheen Ali Sardaar is a popular television face, known for her role in the iconic show 'Kkusum'. She was extremely famous at one point and now she's been missing from the limelight. In a recent interview, Nausheen reflected on how fading stardom did not affect her because she had seen something at a very initial stage in her career. She recalled how she had once seen Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini at the airport and it gave her a clear perspective on stardom. Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini were the undisputed superstars of the 1970s, ruling Hindi cinema with blockbusters. While she was called a 'dream girl', Khanna is still remembered as the first superstar of Hindi cinema. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Nausheen reflected on how not everyone manages success, or failure, gracefully. “I saw this in many people while growing up, that not everybody can handle success and being unsuccessful. Because I saw it at such a young age, it didn’t affect me,” she said.She then narrated the memory that stayed with her. Nausheen added, “I was at the airport, and a big Indian male and a female superstar were there. I remember when people used to say things like, ‘His car used to become red with kisses’ and ‘She was the queen of the film industry’. But, not even one single person went to them for an autograph.”When the host guessed if she was referring to Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini, Nausheen confirmed. “Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini, yes. They both were at the airport. I was so shocked. This is how fans are? Aaj sooraj ugg raaha hai toh aapko salaam karte hain aur kal nahi toh aapko bhool jaate hain?”The incident left a deep impression on her. “That moment got etched in my memory. I was around 15-16 years old. I decided that even if I become famous, I’ll not let it get to my head, because it’s there today, but maybe it won’t be there tomorrow. It might come back, or might not. So, you have to be strong enough to hold it,” Nausheen concluded.