AGEhasn’t slowed her one bit. At 70, Kalpana Iyer revisits the grit, grace and sheer endurance behind her iconic dance numbers, reflecting on a career built on perseverance, passion and undying love for dance. In a conversation with IANS, Bollywood veteran star Kalpana Iyer, the woman of the moment, opened up about the grit and physical toll behind her iconic dance performances. The actress’is currently stirring headlines, as a recent video of her dancing to herlegendary number Ramba Ho at the age of 70 took the internet by storm. The actress recalled her early years in the industry as a dancer. Kalpana spoke candidly about dancing through pain, bruises, and bleeding feet, long before comfort and vanity became industry norms. “I started dancing at 17, and I have never complained. I have shared green rooms, danced barefoot with scraped and bloodied soles, during Ramba Ho and have even done Raja Hindustani barefoot with injury.

 

I didn’t have time to complain, I just worked and kept moving focusing on the opportunities that came my way and was so grateful for it. Dance has brought me so much joy in my life,” she said, reflecting on an era where perseverance mattered more than privileges. For Kalpana, in her own words, dance was never just a performance but a calling that demanded complete surrender, regardless of physical hardship. Speaking about today’s generation of performers, Kalpana was generous in her praise, stressing that comparisons between any eras of Bollywood is unfair. “These days, girls have to put in a lot more effort. We did too, I don’tdeny that, but today you can see the detailing and the investment producers make. The more effort you putin, the more is invested in you. They look beautiful, their clothes are gorgeous, and some of them dance exquisitely. Time shave changed and Irespect that completely. I have immense love for all these girls and I truly wish them well,” she shared.