Swaroop Sampat returned to Hindi cinema in R Balki’s Ki and Ka, playing Kareena Kapoor’s mother. In a March 2016 interview, she said the role appealed to her—but Balki, whose work she admired, was the bigger reason she accepted it. Her “camera loves me back” line came from an earlier chapter: her Shringar bindi modeling.
Why Sampat accepted Ki and Ka
Balki narrated the story to Sampat and her husband, actor Paresh Rawal. Their younger son encouraged her to take the part. Sampat said she liked the role, but that Balki’s work was the stronger draw. In Chandrima Pal’s Scroll.in interview, published March 15, 2016, she described acting as something she loved while making clear it was one part of a wider working life.
At the time, Ki and Ka was scheduled to open on April 1, 2016. That was the release date reported before the film’s release, not a current listing.
What she meant by “the camera loves me back”
The phrase came up as Sampat recalled modeling for Shringar bindis. She said Hrishikesh Mukherjee used to tell her, “the camera loves my face,” and added: “I just think that I love the camera and it loves me back.” The line captures her affection for being photographed; it was not her explanation for accepting Ki and Ka.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA career beyond regular film work
Sampat’s career included film and television, but she did not describe herself as pursuing acting full time. In the 2016 interview, she also identified as a teacher, researcher, trainer, painter and child-rights worker.
From pageant winner to familiar television face
Scroll’s profile reports that Sampat won Miss India in 1979, made her film debut in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Naram Garam in 1981 and became widely known as Renu in the television series Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi in 1984.
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Selective screen appearances
Before Ki and Ka, she had taken occasional film roles, including Saathiya and the Gujarati film Saptapadi. She described those as very brief shoots. She had declined regular television work because of the time commitment, a personal choice rather than a general claim about television production. As she put it in 2016, “I love every minute in front of the camera.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why “comeback” needs its 2016 context
The word in the original headline referred to her return to Hindi cinema with Ki and Ka after several years away from regular film work. It should not be read as the end of her acting career or as a claim that she had done no screen work since.
A 2020 Telegraph India interview covered later screen appearances, including The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family and the short film Nanoso Phobia. Sampat said, “I love being in front of the camera.” A 2026 Variety India interview reported that she played Vicky Kaushal’s mother in Uri: The Surgical Strike and quoted her saying she hoped to do another film.
She also discussed a return to stage acting in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane in a May 2026 Indian Express interview. The article listed performances at Delhi’s Kamani Auditorium for May 22–24, 2026; those dates have passed.
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