When Dharmendra asked Rohini Hattangady to put on more makeup to play his mother

Playing a mother to actors older than her was hardly an unusual occurrence in Rohini Hattangady's career. The veteran actor played Amitabh Bachchan's mother in Agneepath and Shahenshah, and even shared screen space with Dharmendra as his mother in Humse Na Takrana. Well, the interesting bit is that she was younger than most of the actors playing her onscreen sons. But did that ever make her uncomfortable? Not really, she said, because for her, a character is a character, irrespective of who is playing the other part.In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Rohini opened up about being cast in older roles early in her career and whether her theatre training gave her the confidence to embrace them."It never affected me because when I do a role, it's a role for me. You are doing a character. Main sochti nahi hoon ki yeh bada hai, yeh chhota hai (I was never bothered if the part is that of an elder or younger woman). I'll always act according to my character," she said.And while she admitted that Amitabh Bachchan was perfectly comfortable with the casting, her experience with Dharmendra came with a rather amusing behind-the-scenes moment. Recalling her first film with the actor, Humse Na Takrana, Rohini said they were shooting in Ooty when she went up to greet Dharmendra on the first day. She had just settled into her chair when her make-up man came rushing to her with some unexpected feedback."My make-up man came and started working extensively on me. I asked him what he was doing, and why we were still not done. He sheepishly informed me that I was told to put on more make-up because Dharam ji was saying that I was looking young," she recalled, laughing. She added, "I wondered how much make-up I would need, and how much white hair we would need? And what am I supposed to do because I am young?"But if there is one film that explains why the industry began looking at Rohini as an actor who could effortlessly age on screen, it is Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982). She was just 27 when she played Kasturba Gandhi opposite Ben Kingsley's Mahatma Gandhi, portraying her at different stages of her life. The performance earned her the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1983, making her the first Indian actress to win in the category.However, the international recognition also came with an unexpected career consequence. While the film showcased her ability to play both young and older versions of Kasturba, Hindi cinema largely remembered the latter. "I don't know if it changed the perception of me as an actor, but it got me all my mother roles," she said with a chuckle.The recognition also brought her the attention of international filmmaker James Ivory, who was considering her for a role in Heat and Dust (1983). But their meeting took an unexpected turn.Rohini recalled that Ivory kept looking at her before asking who had played the older Kasturba in Gandhi. When she told him it was her, he was surprised. "He didn't want any make-up and all [on his actors]. He was looking for a 55-year-old lady. I said, 'Sorry, I'm just 30.' So, it didn't work out," she recalled.The actor is currently seen in Meethe Mein Kya Hai.- Ends