Hema Malini

I did a number of films with Amitabh. He was a wonderful costar -- totally different from others.

I remember him as two different, contrasting personalities, really.

At times, he was very aloof and very quiet. He would say very little, speak to the point. At other times, he would be a lot of fun -- jovial, making you laugh.

HIS professionalism was -- is -- legendary. He was always prepared when he came on the sets.

He was very easy to work with. In fact, I had a cordial relationship with all my heroes -- some like Jeetendra or Shatrughan Sinha are very funny.

Amitabh, on the other hand, was more serious, more professional.

But at times, you would get a glimpse of his boyishness when he was in a lighthearted mood. He was always lighthearted on Manmohan Desai's sets. It was as if he were more at home with him.

He was in a great mood when we were shooting for Naseeb and Desh Premee -- that was a lark. He was in a real high spirits then.

NOW, when I meet him at functions, he appears more serious.

As an actor, he had the gift of converting his minuses into pluses. When he came into films, everyone said he was very tall. All kinds of comments were passed about him because he was very different from the normal hero.

That looked like it was a minus point but it became a plus. So it is not his own personality but it is his capacity to transform his personality.

And he achieved it.

That is for everybody to learn from. That is so very important -- that you can develop yourself into anything you want.

Hema Malini spoke to Lata Khubchandani