Beauty Within
An Interview with Rati Agnihotri

She has a delightful presence. Anyone who comes across Rati Agnihotri is touched by the radiance and beauty within. The gorgeous actress was in Toronto gracing the 2003 Miss India Canada Beauty Pageant as a special guest of honor. The thirteenth annual event was held at the International Plaza Hotel on July 5, 2003.

The articulate Rati was at a loss for words when presented with a Special Achievement Award. Speaking to MyBindi in an exclusive interview the actress revealed, "I was a bit speechless. Everyone thinks that you are used to the adulations but for a moment I had to contain myself."

Rati was in Toronto on a world tour with Amitabh Bachchan 20 years ago. "I have always loved Canada," she said. "It is a pleasure coming here. Its lovely interacting with people here because the cultural integrity they have is amazing. The kids have more integrity towards the country and culture," she said.

"I have a son in college and it is a direct comparison with the same age group. I was so impressed, I feel ashamed that kids in India are aping the west. It is very sad. I am a very old-fashioned person. I am extremely proud to be an Indian. When I saw Pardes, I stood up in the theatre when the 'I love my India' song came up, I was so touched".

Rati started her career in films when she was only 16. "Its very strange, I wanted to be a doctor and I became an actress," she said. Rati was staging a play at school when a director in the audience (whose daughter was also performing in the play) spotted her. He was looking for a young new face for Ek Duje Ke Liye and he approached the family. "My father said - no Agnihotri girl can be an actress," reveals Rati who belongs to an orthodox family.

However, she was able to cajole her father into saying yes. Ek Duje Ke Liye was a success and Rati's whole life changed. Since she has worked in over 140 films in six languages including English and with some of the most celebrated directors and actors in Indian cinema. Her landmark films include Coolie and Tawaif amongst many others.

Rati however moved away from the limelight when she started her family life. "The decision to move away was pre-thought. I was dating my husband a year prior and I had started phasing out my work. I was always very clear, I felt that I wouldn't work till I would feel the need to do so," she says.

Rati spent 16 years at home looking after her son Tanuj and focusing on her many interests. The lady of many diverse talents, Rati practices Reike and meditation every single day. She holds a Masters in Reike and Spiritual levels and distantly heals people. Besides this she also devotes time to social causes like cancer, AIDS and menopause awareness for 40 plus women. She visits interior places in India and helps in spreading awareness.

Rati also helps out her husband in his construction business in terms of the aesthetic part like interiors and landscaping. She is also into aromatherapy, rock-sculpting making candles and stain glass.

After years of being a stay-at-home Mom, Rati took the opportunity of playing the glamorized Mom in Kuch Khatti, Kuch Meethi where she acts as the smart and independent mother of Kajol. "For me its the natural instinct to play a mother," she says. "Every human being develops different instincts with the passage of time, every human being grows and develops a different nature. Twenty years ago I was quite hot headed, I would certainly not have taken up such a role then. But with life you move on and react differently." A friendly mother to her own son Tanuj, Rati feels a parent cannot always approve of everything.

She doesn't really consider her decision to work in a few films a year a "come-back".

Once an actress is always an actress! " I need to be doing something all the time, I am a people's person," she says.

When asked about the secret of the glow on her face, she laughs yet gives it away, "I think its' my positive outlook towards life."

Rati is aiming towards establishing an institute of scholastic living. It is her goal at 50. She hopes to impart the knowledge she has gained to help people stressed out in with a lifestyle where everybody is rushing. She adds, "I truly believe that in this birth of mine I am here to do…"