By Subhash K. Jha. Maharashtra, India, 09:33 AM IST

Zeenat Aman remembers her 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat' co-star Vijay Arora, who passed away recently, as quiet and focused.

'Those were the days. Both Vijay and I were totally focused on our work. We were trying to find our bearing in Bollywood. Over the years all of us tend to get involved in our own lives.

'It was sad to hear he passed away. I don't know what happened to him. But I do remember him as a quiet newcomer, anxious to go with what the director told him. He was constantly around, eager to be on camera. By then my 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' had come... Then my whole career took off, and I guess I just moved on,' Zeenat told IANS.

After the film, she lost touch with the actor, who died on Feb 3.

'I really didn't have any clue where he was. I confess, I lost touch with him completely after we worked together in Nasir Hussain's 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat'.'

The film is to this day remembered for Vijay wooing Zeenat with R.D. Burman's 'Meri soni, meri tamanna', and Zeenat wooing him back with the evergreen 'Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko'.

In the early 1970s Vijay was quite popular and was pitched against the mighty Rajesh Khanna as the future superstar. But when intended biggies like 'Mera Bhaiyya', 'Zaroorat' and 'Jeevan Jyoti' floundered, Vijay simply faded away to live in seclusion.

Zeenat also remembers Aamir Khan as a child artist in 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat'.

'Today I'm playing his youngest brother Haider Ali's mum in Raja Bundela's 'Sirf Romance - Love By Chance'. I just have a guest appearance. You know, these are kids who've grown up in front of one's eyes, so that's fine.'

She was recently seen with old co-star Rajesh Khanna in 'Jaana', a film that hardly did her proud.

'There aren't too many roles going for an actress of my age. But I'm happy in my own world. My two sons are with me. One of them was studying overseas. But he's back with me. Really, I'm quite happy in my own world. But I wish I had kept in touch with Vijay.'

By Subhash K. Jha (Staff Writer, © IANS)