Before she became one of the highest paid heroines of the 1970s and ’80s, Reena Roy says she was a typical star-struck teenager who would line-up outside Rajesh Khanna's house to catch a glimpse of the Bollywood star or visit the theatre to watch Jeetendra’s films.

She later worked with both Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra, forming one of the most successful on screen pairings in Hindi cinema.

The actress, who turns 66 on Saturday, said she was a sensitive child who would cry at the drop of a hat when she saw her favourite stars facing injustice. “I would wait outside Rajesh ji's house after school to catch a glimpse of him. I would dance to the songs of Rajesh Khanna’s films and would cry and get upset when injustice was meted out to him. My mother felt so bad that she stopped taking me to movies.”

Reena starred opposite Rajesh, one of the most popular superstars Hindi cinema ever produced, in movies like Dhanwan, Asha Jyoti and Dharam Kanta. With Jeetendra, she delivered 12 superhits, most memorable being Nagin.

Roy said she went blank when she met Jeetendra for the first time at the shooting of their film Jaise Ko Taisa. “I was shocked when Jeetendra ji came in front of me. I was blank. He made me feel comfortable as we started shooting and we ended up having great rapport. Almost every film of mine with him was superhit.”

The actress also said Jeetendra had become a family thanks to their multiple onscreen collaborations. She remembers him as being a health-freak on movie sets. “Over the period of years, we became like family. Jeetu ji is very punctual. He was very protective towards me. He was a health-freak. We would not eat sweets in front of him but we would do that quietly in the makeup room.”

Reena recalled that making movies was not as systematic as it is today with actors working in multiple shifts on different projects. “We would get our lines on sets. Jeetu ji would suggest some changes sometimes. We wouldn’t rehearse a lot as we both had to pick up the dance steps quickly. I used to do three shifts a day and still my focus was on giving my best.”

From Rajesh Khanna to Sunil Dutt to Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha, Reena worked with top stars of the industry at the peak of her career. Looking back, the actress said she felt “content” with her journey in cinema. “I had a great working relationship with everyone as I was bubbly and talkative. There were no ego issues. I am content and happy with my journey in the film industry.”

Reena dropped out of school to pursue acting and remembers how Nargis Dutt first spotted her for a film though the project fell through. “Without any struggle, I was selected by Nargis ji (for a film) while I was playing on the road. They were planning to make a film for their home production after Reshma Aur Shera, but then Nargis ji and Sunil Dutt ji recommended me for Zakhmee.” The actress finally made her debut with Zaroorat by BR Ishara.

Becoming one of the highest-paid heroines of her time, Roy said, was a result of her continuous hardwork and commitment to films. “I was dedicated, sincere and punctual about my work. If I had committed my dates for a film, I would follow it to the extreme. Even if it rained heavily or I was unwell, I would make sure that I was on sets to finish my work. I was always a focused girl. The audience loved me and my films. It is all due to destiny that I got so much love and was treated well by the industry,” she added.

The actor took a break from the movies after her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan in 1983. As she returned to India in 1992 after her divorce, she made a comeback in Hindi films with Aadmi Khilona Hai alongside Jeetendra. She also featured in Ajay, starring Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn’s Gair, and Refugee, which marked the debut of Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Despite being away from work for more than two decades, Reena is in a happy space. Her focus is to spend time with her daughter. However, if an interesting offer comes, she wouldn’t mind acting again. “When you work so hard for years, you feel content. You feel grateful to God for everything. I have a responsibility towards my daughter and I like to spend time with her,” she said.

“I don't have any sad feeling that I am not working in films. I will work if I get a good role. I don’t mind working as today there are some really good subjects, besides the usual song-and-dance things,” she added.