“It’s God’s gift that I dance and act, although dance has and will always be my first love,” she says. She is all set to start shooting for a film with Raj Kanwar and long-time friend Rekha. “Only roles that have substance are the ones which I make my own,” she says.

With a chock-a-block schedule of political meetings, performances, social work, film production has taken a backseat in her life. “I never wanted to come into films but a rejection down south in my first film made me prove myself,” she says.

Her advice for aspiring actresses: “Be bold, I’ve always been bold, Dharamji has not. Be confident, face all challenges, the good, bad, ugly. You’ll see it all, just face it and move on. There will be failures, lots of them, but in the end, success is yours and make sure you come out clean... It’s tough, but you’ve got to do it for yourself, and stick to it. I took my decision to marry Dharamji and he stood by me. Learn to protect yourself, have a camouflage and look great, you will get more work”.

“A woman has to know her worth, only then will she move forward. You might age physically, but I’ve always chosen to be a romantic, young at heart,” says the original Dream Girl.

How did politics happen? “All the credit goes to Vinod Dua and my mother who pushed me to join her favourite party, the BJP... The issues in villages and the response I got made me work towards it. I am here and I urge you to discuss your problems, bring them to my notice and I’ll do something about them,” she says, hailing her husband’s work in Bikaner.

The conversation veers on to her daughters. Hema Malini’s looking for a match for Esha. “She’s a grown up now, and when it comes to films, very selective unlike earlier when she was just pleasing the directors. Ahana plans to open a farmhouse for animals and make films,” she says.

About dance: “It’s only now that Dharamji has started understanding the nature and importance of my dance. Classical dance disciplines you, it’s a divine art, the purest form of worship to your lord, you are offering your body to Him,” she says. She is working on a ballet on Ganga.