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This year, Raakhee's birthday was unexpectedly bright and cheerful.
The gorgeous actress, who was born on the day India got Independence 68 years ago, watched Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and was simply bowled over by its message of Indo-Pak friendship.
"This is Salman’s best performance and by far, his most important film to date," she says. "The film’s message of hope, peace and friendship across the border filled my heart with joy. I haven’t felt so good watching a film for a very long time. For the first time I felt there is hope of peace between the two countries."
Raakhee, who was last seen as Aishwarya Rai's mother in the 2003 film, Dil Ka Rishta, makes a penetrating observation about Salman.
"He excels at playing innocent characters," she says. "In the last 20 minutes of Bodyguard, he was taken for a ride by two women. In Bajrangi Bhaijaan again, he is a naive man pushed around by everyone. As a fellow-actor, I could see Salman was not faking the emotions. He felt every minute of his role. The team would have been in serious trouble if they had gone wrong with the politics or religion of the theme. Writer Vijeyendra Prasad, director Kabir Khan and Salman should get National awards!"
The actress dislikes celebrating her birthday, and she tells us why: "Our country got freedom on the day I was born. So I am one of Salman Rushdie’s midnight’s children. But freedom at what cost? There was Partition of the country into two countries. The Britishers left after giving us a kick in our behind so that two communities would fight forever. I’ve seen my father go through so much pain struggle and hardships when he moved from East Bengal to West Bengal in divided India. My childhood memories of my birthday are of bloodshed violence, separation, pain and anger."
Photograph: Rediff Archives