Former 'dream girl' Hema Malini is training younger daughter Ahana, who is interested in directing, to face the camera but insists it is only to "boost her self-confidence".

Both mother and daughter are in an advertisement endorsing the Kent water purifier.

"For the new advertisement Kent wanted a girl with me. I suggested they take my daughter. Ahana wasn't willing. But for my sake, she did it," Hema told in an interview.

When asked if the advertisement was a step towards acting for Ahana, Hema said: "It's just to boost her self-confidence. I just wanted her to know this was one of the things she can do if she wants to. Otherwise I am not going to force any of my children to do anything."

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: I believe you've just done an ad with Ahana?
A: Who told you? News travels fast. We shot it just yesterday. I just made her do it because she has to know her true worth. Right now she doesn't seem to know what she wants. Yeh karungi woh karungi...I'll direct a film...I'll do an ad.

She thinks she's good for chotku-motku work. I feel she's capable of truly wonderful work. So I coaxed her into doing this ad. I told her, 'Mama is with you. You'll be just next to Mummy and she'll take care of everything.' That convinced her.

Q: What's the ad for?
A: I endorse the Kent water purifier. For the new ad they wanted a girl with me. I suggested they take my daughter. Ahana wasn't willing. But for my sake she did it.

Q: You bullied her into doing it?
A: (laughs) You think today's kids can be bullied into doing anything? No! I just offered her my support.

Q: How did it go?
A: Why are you making it a big issue? It was just one of those things that happened.

Q: Anything you do makes big news.
A: Really? You know, Esha and I have never been seen on screen together. But we've done lots of photo-shoots together.

Q: Is this ad a step towards acting for Ahana?
A: No no not at all. Bilkul nahin! It's just to boost her self-confidence. I just wanted her to know this (facing the camera) was one of the things she can do if she wants to. Otherwise I'm not going to force any of my children to do anything.

I won't allow anyone to force Ahana to do anything. I respect her opinions and will go with anything she wants to. Anything she isn't comfortable with she doesn't have to do.

Q: Ahana is the shy one in the family?
A: Yes. The problem is, all of us in the family—her father, mother, her sister and her two bothers—are all doing high-profile work. Her nature is such that she can't be pushed to do anything.

Q: She's the baby of the family.
A: Yeah. But baby needs to grow up. She wants to be behind the camera. Which is fine by me. She should be where she's comfortable. Whatever she does I want her to be the best. The world has become so competitive.

That's true specially of the film industry where you are a success or failure, nothing between the two extremes. I feel Ahana won't be able to cope with the film industry. I don't want her to go through what Esha is going through. Every release of hers is a matter of life and death.

Q: You've gone through it all.
A: Not really. I never bothered. Only once in a while I'd worry about a favourite film's fortunes.

Q: It's difficult for your daughters to equal their parents' success.
A: Very very difficult. I don't see the same stress for children in other professions. They're happy just being what they want to be.

If I was an interior designer my daughters wouldn't have to go through this ordeal...Kids in other professions do anything...join their father's business, study architecture... whatever. My daughters don't have it that easy. Esha is still not comfortable doing some of the things she has to.The clothes are so painfully minimal.

Q: Did you find her confident on camera in the ad?
A: Absolutely. She was really confident. We're just holding water in our hands.

Q: But Ahana dances with you on stage?
A: Yeah yeah. She's happy doing all that. But what she wants to do is direct a film. She has a script already. She's looking for a dialogue writer. Without assisting anyone...She wants to go to the top of the mountain without climbing step by step. I know she'll find her level in life. But children of today face so much stress, especially in the film industry. We had it so much easier.