By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Dec 8 (IANS) Yesteryears star Asha Parekh remembers late Bina Rai as an “intimidating” and “very introvert” actress. The two worked together in “Ghunghat”.

“We worked together in one of her best films ‘Ghunghat’ in 1960. She played Bharat Bhushan’s wife and she was fabulous. She won a Filmfare Award for her performance,” Asha told IANS.

Bina Rai, who charmed Indian audiences with her performances in “Anarkali” and “Taj Mahal” and won a Filmfare award for “Ghunghat”, died following a heart attack in her Mumbai home Sunday.

Asha says she was a timid and young supporting actress while Bina Rai was the leading lady of the film.

“I remember Binaji was very, very introvert. I was the youngest person in the unit. She was my senior and intimidating. She wouldn’t mix around and kept completely to herself on the sets. I remember once a co-star was getting a shot repeatedly wrong. The giggler that I am, I kept bursting into giggles. Binaji just stared at me, and then suddenly smiled softly. That was a rare moment of connectivity with her.”

“Ghunghat” director Ramanand Sagar had got very upset with Asha. “After the incident, he scolded me saying I should know how to behave in front of someone as big as Bina Raiji.”

Asha also remembers Bina Rai as a woman of rare elegance. “She was not quite like the average film person. Always different and detached… One more illustrious soul gone,” she said.

Asha also lost another co-star, the little-known actress-producer Chandrakala who passed away suddenly on Dec 4 following a massive heart attack. Asha worked with Chandrakala in Nasir Husain’s “Teesri Manzil”.

“It happened so suddenly. I wasn’t even in town,” said Asha.

Besides doing bit roles, Chandrakala had also produced films like Dharmendra and Vyjanthimala starrer- “Pyar Hi Pyar” and “Anand”.