'Sitara Devi was the most outspoken person I know'

"She would always say that, when you are on stage, you must make direct eye contact with every male member in the audience so that it seems you are dancing only for him," says yesteryear star Asha Parekh.

Sitara Devi was a firebrand and a livewire. She was very closely associated with Gopi Krishna and so was I, so we’d often meet in the old days.

She was always a rebel, did whatever she wanted to. And what a dancer! I could never dream of equalling her stage presence.

She would always say that, when you are on stage, you must make direct eye contact with every male member in the audience so that it seems you are dancing only for him. I could never do that. I feel I was too inhibited on stage.

Sitara Devi could do whatever she wanted to. She had a magnetic personality. Anyone who came in contact with her was mesmerised. And so was I.

She was the most outspoken person I know. She said whatever came to her mind without being bothered about the repercussions.

Her life was an open book and every chapter was exciting. It was a life well-lived.

I never got a chance to dance with her on stage. I am glad. She would have completely over-shadowed me.

Asha Parekh spoke to Subhash K Jha.