I fed the sister’s drink and she fainted, I did not get pregnant, but I am the mother of 120 children

I am not a Kashmiri

I was born at Badami Bagh in Srinagar. Many people feel that I am a Kashmiri, but it is not so. Papa was in the Air Force, so we got a chance to live in different places according to his/her posting. Papa’s posting was in Kashmir when I was born. We lived in Kashmir for four years. After that Jodhpur, Pathankot, Bangalore, Shillong, Trivandrum, Delhi, Mumbai … got a chance to live in many states of the country. But after some time both of us sisters stayed in Delhi with mother so that our studies are not disturbed.

My studies were not even completed that the offer of the film ‘Kurbaan’ came. I was studying fashion designing from Delhi. There was talk of sending me ‘London School of Fashion’ for further studies at home, but luck was written in luck. After ‘Kurbaan’, Jeet Jeeta was Alexander, Khiladi, Meherban, Dalal … I got one films after another and I did not get time to think anything else. As far as fashion is concerned, I am fond of shopping. It is nice to wear good clothes, but my lifestyle is very simple. I do not run after the brand. I like to wear clothes that are comfortable and look good on me.

Because of me the sister could be killed

I was very mischievous since childhood. She used to harass her younger sister Aparna very much. Both of us sisters used to have a lot of noise, but both of them loved each other a lot. But my mistake could have killed Aparna on that day. As usual, when both of our sisters came home from school that day, Mummy slept for some time after feeding us. I told Aparna that we swing the swing in the garden. I broke the sister so loudly that she fell. When she got hurt, she started crying.

I was afraid that now my mother would scold. To make him/her silent, I said, if you stop crying, I will feed you. I did not have pan, so I broke a leaf from the garden and filled the sugar in it and fed it to the sister.

10 minutes after eating paan, Aparna started vomiting continuously. I was very scared to see him/her. I called my mother. The mother also got nervous after seeing her. She was starting to faint. Mummy called Papa and took Aparna to the hospital. After the test, it was found that the leaf I fed it was poisonous. When the parents came to know about the truth, I was very scolded. I can never forget this incident.

… and I became ‘Miss Mussoorie’

I always used to participate in school dance, drama. We often used to visit Mussoorie on holidays. Once when we were in Mussoorie, there was a beauty contest. The winner in that contest was to get a chance to work in the film. I told my mother that one should participate in it. Mother encouraged me and I started preparing. I wore my aunt’s sari in that beauty contest. I won that beauty contest and became ‘Miss Mussoorie’ at the age of 15. After that I also won beauty contests like Navy Queen, Miss Delhi. After that I started getting work in ads. Meanwhile, I got the offer of the film ‘Kurbaan’ and my acting career started.

Our arranged marriage

I did not want to get married. But when my parents introduced me to Sameer Vashi, we both liked each other’s views. Gradually we realized that we can live together. Then we got married. I used to do social work even before marriage. Sameer also likes to support the needy. After marriage, both of us together took this work forward.

Ayesha Julka’s husband Sameer Vashi is his/her best friend

The child did not give birth but I am the mother of 120 children

I think it is necessary to give good upbringing to such children who need it. I decided that instead of becoming a mother myself, I will become the mother of those children who need a good life. After marriage, we took responsibility for raising the children of two villages of Valsad, Gujarat. Today we have become parents of 120 tribal children.