Yesteryear's Bollywood actress Asha Parekh was stuck 15 hours in the city's life-stopping floods, with barely enough water to moisten her lips.

But after surviving a harrowing experience, she salutes Mumbai's spirit and resilience.

Asha Parekh and veteran Hindi film character actress Shammi were in one of the thousands of vehicles stuck in a road last week when the city of 15 million was deluged after the worst rainfall in 100 years.

"Yes, Shammi aunty and I were stuck in my car for 15 hours without food, sleep and barely enough water to moisten our lips," Asha Parekh told, still in disbelief over the experience.

The Mumbai-born former heroine of many romantic hits of the 1960s and 1970s could not believe this was the city she had grown up in.

"I was born and brought up in Mumbai. But never in my life have I seen what I saw happening in the last few days... The city we are so proud of and felt so safe in was plunged into an unthinkable crisis... And I hope no one ever goes through what I did.

"I wondered if we would ever get out of the car alive. Was this really the Mumbai I had grown up in? That thought occurred to me more than once as I sat in the car..."

For her Tuesday began as just another day when she was to drive to town for some work with Shammi. It was raining when they left, but they thought nothing of what was normal during monsoons.

"Little did we know then that we would return home only the next day."

In town, after lunch with friends, the two women finally headed home at 3 p.m., a journey that was to last 15 hours.

"It was virtually one of those water-water-everywhere (not a drop to drink) situations. Our car was stuck in traffic for the entire night. There was no movement and we couldn't step outside since there was waist-deep water outside."

At the Mahim Creek, the car went further under water.

"The two of us, and the driver just sat frozen in the car, not knowing what to do. I prayed especially for Shammi aunty who is very old and unwell."

After the nightmare was over, Asha Parekh thought about the way Mumbaikars rallied around those who needed help.

"It made me regain my faith in our city. People of every neighbourhood served tea and biscuits to all the stranded and disoriented commuters. Residents opened their doors to commuters who couldn't proceed further.

"Though I was caught in a nightmare, I think I now have more faith in Mumbai's powers of resilience than ever before. Yes, I could've been stranded for longer in my car. But I wasn't. I reached home safe."

The actress' relatives from Pakistan were greatly relieved to see her home. "I am glad I am alive. And I am glad this city is what it is. Otherwise we wouldn't have bounced back so quickly after such a natural calamity."