Actress Asha Parekh, in her 2017 memoir "The Hit Girl", wrote that the married Nasir was the "one and true love of my life." Divorce wasn't an option, since it would have hurt both their families. Neither was breaking up, since their professional association brought forth several hit films, making both families wealthy. She wrote that his wife Ayesha knew about the romantic relationship and was always kind to her, even giving her a gift of a pair of gold bangles.
Asha Parekh was born in a middle-class Gujarati household to a Hindu father, Pranlal Parekh, and a Muslim mother Sudha Parekh on October 2, 1942 in India. Since she was an only child, she became the center of her parents' lives. Her mother enrolled her in classical dance classes at an early age, and Asha excelled at dance to the point where she performed at stage shows. Famed film director Bimal Roy saw her dance at a stage function and cast her at the tender age of ten in Maa (1952). He liked her and cast her again in Baap Beti (1954). The film's failure disappointed her, and even though, she did a few more child roles, she quit to resume her schooling. At sixteen, she decided to try acting again and make her debut as a heroine, but director Vijay Bhatt fired her from Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) claiming she wasn't star material. Almost immediately, film producer Sasadhar Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) which made her a huge star. Shammi Kapoor became her favorite hero and friend, and they starred in three more films, the most famous being the murder mystery Teesri Manzil (1966). The film also led to a long and fruitful association with Nasir, and he cast her as the heroine in six more films.
Ravi Kapoor was born in a business family that dealt with imitation Jewelery and used to live in a chawl. While supplying jewelry to V. Shantaram, he was cast as Sandhya's double in the 1959 movie 'Navrang'.
Aruna Irani made her debut in the movie Gunga Jumna (1961) at nine years old playing Azra's character. After doing several small roles in films like Jahanara (1964), Farz (1967), Upkar (1967) and Aaya Sawan Jhoomke (1969). She later acted with comedian Mehmood Ali in films like Aulad (1968), Humjoli (1970), and Naya Zamana (1971).In 1971, she starred in Caravan. She later starred in Mehmood Ali's Bombay To Goa (1972), Garam Masala (1972), and Do Phool (1973).
