days later Kalpana Iyer’s performance in “Rambha Ho” went viral, the veteran actress finally responded to the overwhelming love and appreciation for her impromptu moment. While he first appeared in the iconic song more than four decades ago in the 1981 film Armaan, his spontaneous performance at a wedding celebration recently caused a stir on the Internet. The renewed popularity of “Rambha Ho” is also due to its use in Aditya Dhar’s film Dhurandhar.
Speaking to India Today, Kalpana expressed her surprise and gratitude. “I was at my friend’s son’s wedding; he is like my own son. The dance was completely improvised and I casually shared it on social media. Within hours, it was everywhere. I am so surprised and deeply grateful for all the love. I am completely overwhelmed,” she said.
Kalpana, who stepped away from films in the late 1990s, revealed that this was her first interview in years. “And for a song I made more than 40 years ago to receive this kind of response makes it even more special,” he added.
Recalling how the viral moment unfolded, the actress shared, “I was walking towards the stage and the dance just happened. There was nothing set up. You can see I am wearing a saree, it was a wedding and I was there to enjoy it with my family. When they asked me, how could I say no? I did it with love and look where it has landed.”
Kalpana Iyer thanks Aditya Dhar for reviving ‘Rambha Ho’
Although her dance went viral almost two months after the release of Dhurandhar, Kalpana Iyer said she was aware that the song had started trending after the film’s arrival. However, she hasn’t seen him yet. “A lot of people told me about it. Several friends who saw Dhurandhar immediately sent me clips saying, ‘Your song is playing and we remember you.’ “I was touched and extremely grateful,” she said.
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Thanking director Aditya Dhar, Kalpana added, “How can I not be grateful? If a film revives a song in such a way that the younger generation hums it, for me it is nothing short of divine. At 70, to see my song go viral again, who could have imagined? It’s fabulous.”
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Kalpana Iyer hopes her viral dance will bring her work
The actress also took advantage of the moment to express her desire to return to work. “I hope God changes this for me. I’ve missed my industry: the studio, the smell of it, everything. I’ve missed a lot. Hopefully, this will be a new beginning,” he said.
Just like her viral dance, Kalpana Iyear believes her life and career have developed through coincidences. Speaking previously on the Know Time podcast, he had reflected: “Most of what happened in my life was a coincidence, almost like it was planned. Things kept happening. I didn’t even know I could dance.”
Recalling her childhood, she shared, “We couldn’t pay school fees, so how could we afford a dance teacher? I was the eldest of four children. I wasn’t forced to do anything; I chose to work because I wanted to help my family and change things.”
While “Rambha Ho” remains her most famous song today, Kalpana also enjoyed immense success with hits like “Jab Chhaye Tera Jadoo” and “Hari Om Hari”. Interestingly, “Jab Chhaye Tera Jadoo” came through a special request from Dev Anand. “I didn’t even know these people back then. It all happened so suddenly and in one month my life completely changed,” he recalls.
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‘I stopped taking work calls after Hum Saath Saath Hain’
Speaking on the same podcast, Kalpana shared, “When people choose certain types of roles, I would like them to consider me from time to time. I am open to working; I have never said I don’t want to do it. All I have asked for are age-appropriate roles. At this stage of my life, I don’t think I would look good wearing shorts; it would look forced and even funny.”
He added, “I don’t need a big role. Even a one-minute role, if it suits my age, why would I say no? However, without even approaching me, people have drawn their own conclusions and assumed that I don’t want to work. My question is, how did you come to that conclusion? I never said. After Hum Saath Saath Hain, most of the work I received felt like a compromise. In many ways, it felt like life came full circle: Manokamana was a Rajshri, and Hum Saath Saath Hain was also a Rajshri film. I never imagined that the latter would become my silent farewell to the industry. Since then, I have been waiting for a new role, an elusive phone call.