/> She's one of the oldest representatives of the film industry. "And yet they call me Baby Tabassum even today!" she giggles girlishly.

"I've had the privilege of remaining a child all my life, whereas others lose their childhood in their teens I continue to be known as Baby Tabassum. I feel my childhood has spread into the 60-odd years that I've spent on this earth...

To my good fortune I never lost out my childhood. My parents were freedom fighters, educationists and journalists. They never allowed my childhood or my education to be spoilt. No wonder I feel self-sufficient and complete from within.

It's very sad that children today lose out on their childhood and behave like the grownup earning member of the family. That kind of pride is wrong and doing injustice to one's childhood."

She has just received the Dada Saheb Phalke Academy award as "first lady of Indian television". She laughs girlishly. "Because of my long association with television I wasn't able to become a top heroine. But I've no regrets. What would I have achieved as a leading lady? 25-30 films at the most. And then retirement. But as a tv person look how long I've lasted."

Talking about the difference in film-based talk shows now and in her time when she hosted the legendary Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, Tabassum says, "I never needed to do that much homework because I knew the interviewees well.

It's been more than a hundred years of Indian cinema and I've been part of it for 59 years. I was 2 ½ when I did my first film. I know of no one who started that young. In 1946 December I signed my first film...

In terms of my work I'm more senior than B.R Chopra, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Lata Mangeshkar. Maze ki baat yeh hai ki abhi bhi Baby Tabassum chala hua hai."

She reminisces about the legends. "Nargis, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar ....These legends who are talked-about in hushed tones have had me on their laps.

They were a good 25 years older than me. But I covered that age difference quickly and smoothly and went on to become Meena Kumari, Nargis, Suraiya and Nimmi 's friend.

I shared their joys and sorrows...Meena Aapa was too emotional as a person, that quality brought depth to her performance. I once asked her what gave her the most grief. She quietly replied, 'When (husband) Kamal Amrohi chanted 'talaq talaq talaq' to me...'

Tabassum calls herself the embodiment of national integration. "My father was a Hindu freedom fighter. My mother was Muslim pathan. I'm married into a Aggarwal family.

Arun Govil who played Rama in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan is my brother-in-law. He may be Rama to the world. But he's Laxman to me. My son has married a Gujarati."

Tabassum, her son and now her grand-daughter are all part of showbiz. "My grand daughter Khushi's debut film Hum Phir Miley Na Miley is ready for release. Recently all three generations were shooting together. I think this record was earlier upheld by Raj Kapoor Saab's family."

Tabassum had the privilege of inviting Nargis on her talk show Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan. "I cheekily asked her about her romance and marriage with Sunil Dutt Bhaiyya during Mother India.

Nargisji turned to the camera and said, 'Let me first say this girl has sat in my lap, played my childhood portions in Deedar, Jogan and other films. Today she has the audacity to ask me about my romance'

Tabassum laughs. :I was there when the song Chup-chup khade ho from Choti Bahen (one of Lata Mangeshkar's earliest hits) was recorded. I spoke to the film's leading lady Suraiya just before her death. People leave memories linger."

Speaking on cinema today Tabassum sighs, "We've become technically superior. But people have become slightly selfish. But we've improved by leaps and bounds.

As for anchoring then and now, I love Simi Garewal's show. But she's more formal with her guests. I was far less informal, though not to the extent that the guests felt uncomfortable.

During my time I was accused of pulling my guest's legs. But that was only my vivacity not audacity."

Tabassum has also been the editor of a Hindi women's magazine Grihalaxmi for fifteen years. "I've a great staff who make sure my name isn't sullied.

As for Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, I've been working for years and years. I want to do new things. Not that I don't connect with today's stars.

Karisma and Kareena have played in their lap while I was in Raj Kapoor Saab's lap. During the six decades of my lifeI've encountered six generations of stars."