Hema Malini is busy these days preparing for her daughter Esha Deol's marriage scheduled for June 29. Sreya Basu catches up with the original Dreamgirl of Bollywood as she was seen promoting Just Chill Summer Camp 2012 in Mumbai

How is the preparation for Esha's marriage going on?
It's going on pretty well...very well.

What have you shopped for yourself for the marriage?
You are asking very personal questions now.

With lifetime awards being given away to senior actors at every award function, how much value would you add to them?
You are right. Lifetime achievement awards are something which everyone keeps getting every other day. We have crossed that stage in terms of age. So kahi bhi kisi bhi award function mein who mil jata hai. It's a happy thing for us...they give the award and we take it. But life is a long process to keep on learning every minute.



Why is that you are against heroines doing item numbers?
Top actresses must never do item songs ... that's what I think. There are other girls who are meant for those songs...they have practiced for that...they have conditioned their bodies and everything for that kind of item. So, I feel, it does not look very comfortable to see heroines doing item numbers which the other girls should do.

While you ended your Rajya Sabha term, your friend Rekha has been joined the Upper House of the Parliament as a MP. Did you give her any tips?
There is no need to give her any tips. She will learn on her own like I did. Nobody teaches you everything in life ... you have to learn on your own.

Presidential election is scheduled for July 19. Who would you like to see as the next President of India?
It's better if we get someone non-political. Of course, he has to be a highly qualified person. The President's position is too high and we need someone non-political to handle it, who will understand everything and yet not from any particular political party.

Why are you promoting a summer camp of all things?
Summer vacation is a time for extra-curricular activities. The kind of activities Just Chill Summer Camp is offering is really good. Now-a-days kids' world is very competitive. They have to study too much. The children take a lot of stress; even the parents put a lot of stress on them. But if mind gets diverted to outdoor activities, games and health, then the concentration level in studies increases.



Name a film of yours which is still preferred by today's kids.
Sholay is a very popular film. Even today kids want to do an act out of that.

What tips would you like to give to all kids in the rat race?
The kids should understand the body is a very beautiful creation of God ...a gift from God, and that they should preserve it very nicely. According to Shastras (scriptures of Hinduism), there are many Gods and Goddesses inside our body. You don't have to search outside.

Parents should make kids understand that God is inside them and teach them little meditation. Meditation will help them concentrate in their studies also. Music and dance also help a lot.

When my children (Esha and Ahana) were studying, there was a time when they were doing very poor in mathematics (like many children). Then I put them to dancing and said, ‘You have to learn it'.

When you dance, it requires a lot on concentration...there is a need for coordination of hands, eyes, expression, legs, in fact the whole body. And their concentration power automatically improved.