Flashback Friday: Late Seema Deo started acting at age 16, was paid Rs 30 a day 

Seema Deo in a still from Anand

Veteran actor Seema Deo passed away on August 24 at the age of 83. She was suffering from Alzheimer's and other age-related ailments. Born in Mumbai as Nalini Saraf, Seema Deo is survived by her two sons, actor Ajinkya and director Abhinay.

Seema Deo was well-known for her work in Marathi and Hindi film industry. essayed a key role in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's superhit film 'Anand' (1971).

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A couple of years ago, the veteran actress had appeared in Doordarshan Sahyadri TV show and spoke about her career and working with Rajesh Khanna in 'Anand'.

Talking about how she decided to enter the acting field, Seema had said, "I never thought about making my career in acting. I wanted to study. I had immense love for dance. People told my mother to enroll me in any film when I was 16. I went to the studio, and I passed the screentest. I was very thin and weighed only 80 pounds. I did not know anything about anything. I was living in a chawl at that time, and they told me that I would get Rs 30 for one play. I did not have any background. Nobody taught me or asked me to stay strong. I felt bad, but I had to."

"I never wanted my children to become actors. The situation in the industry was uncertain at that time. Ajinkya had acting in his blood, and he went to America. He then came back and chose this industry. Abhinay had an interest behind the camera, so he became director. I allowed them to choose their paths," she further said.

Seema Deo worked in Hindi film before her marriage to Ramesh Deo in 1960. Post that, she largely worked in Marathi films. "I started working in the Hindi film industry before my marriage. After my marriage, I started working more in Marathi. I have worked with Sanjeev Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari, Rekha, Balraj Sahni and more. I tried my best to work in the industry."

The actress had also recalled working with Khanna in Anand. "Rajesh Khanna would come on the set very late. So me and my husband Ramesh would often wait for him on the set. One day we were discussing something with each other in Marathi, and our director, Rishikesh Mukherjee, sir, heard it. He told us to talk to him in Marathi throughout the entire film. We said, 'Sir, but ye Hindi film hai', and he said, 'Toh kya hua beech beech mein bolenge Marathi ache se'. We got it agreed upon, and the movie became a superhit. I consider myself very blessed that I got a chance to work with superstar Rajesh Khanna and a newcomer of that time, who is my favorite star today, Amitabh Bachchan. It was a fortunate feeling for me," she had shared.