Raveena Tandon: Felt overwhelmed and got teary-eyed after I heard I got the Padma Shri

Raveena Tandon wasn't happy at first when she found out she had won the Padma Shri, which is the fourth-highest civilian award the Indian government gives out. Instead, she verified the accuracy of the story. After the shock wore off, the actress told Mid Day that her late father, producer Ravi Tandon, was missed. Throughout the last year, her father appeared to be her guardian angel as she won numerous awards. When Raveena found out that she had won the Padma Shri, she was so happy that she started crying.

At home, the atmosphere is inherently pleasant. The actor says that her husband, Anil Thadani, and her son, Ranbir Vardhan, are vying to come to Delhi with her for the ceremony. Both are getting ready for their suits and reminding one another that the other is not accompanying them.

The actor finally receives recognition after 32 years in the business. Raveena has been in both popular and independent films, but she admits that it was hard for her to give up her glamorous image and get roles in Shool (1999), Daman (2001), and Satta (2003).

Making the purposeful decision to perform in commercial films with song and dance in an arthouse theatre, Raveena remembers feeling stuck at the time and wondering how long she could maintain playing these glamorous roles and dressing chicly. The actor had to stretch acting's limitations. It took some time for her to get past her flashy persona, and she had to persuade casting directors to use her.

Director E Niwas wanted to cast Raveena for the role she wanted in Shool, but producer Ram Gopal Varma wasn't persuaded. According to the filmmaker, he can only imagine her dancing to "Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare." RGV eventually came past her as she was shooting a billboard for Shool. He couldn't tell her from the person she had become for the part.