Hema Malini
Hema Malini (born
October 16 1948 in
Ammankudi,
Tamil Nadu,
India) is an
Indian actress and
Bharatanatyam dancer, who starred in several successful
Bollywood films in the
1970s, most notably the super-hit,
Sholay.
Educated at
Andhra Mahila Sabha,
Chennai, Hema first tried to enter films in 1964, but was rejected; Tamil director Sridhar said she had no star appeal. She persisted and found her niche in Bollywood. She debuted in a
1968 film
Sapnon ka Saudagar ("The Dreamseller), playing a young teen opposite the ageing superstar
Raj Kapoor.
Her career took off, and she became one of the reigning divas of the Bollywood film industry. Her fans called her
The Dream Girl of Bollywood (an allusion to her first film) and she subsequently starred with
Dharmendra in a film titled "Dream Girl"She starred in many movies and is perhaps best remembered for her glamour, style, and accomplished classical dancing. She formed a hit pair with Dharmendra and the duo gave a number of hit movies. She also achieved some strong dramatic or comic moments in films like
Lal Patthar,
Seeta Aur Geeta,
Sholay,
Meera and
Satte Pe Satta.
After retiring from films for a number of years, she has recently made a comeback of sorts. She co-starred with
Amitabh Bachchan in the successful film
Baghban, and played a cameo role (also opposite Bachchan) in the 2004 blockbuster
Veer-Zaara. In both films, she played a beautiful , self-possessed, middle-aged married woman rather than the ingenue role of her earlier career.
She tried her hand at directing and made the
1992 film
Dil Aashna Hai which featured an all-star cast including
Shahrukh Khan and the late
Divya Bharti.
She also directed and starred in the TV Serial
Noopur, in which she was depicted as a Bharatanatyam dancer going to America.
In
2000, she was awarded the
Padma Shri.
Hema Malini is a dedicated practitioner of
Bharatnatyam, South Indian classical dance. Her two daughters have trained in the related
Odissi school of dance, and the three have performed together at several charity dance concerts.
She married Dharmendra and they have two children:
Esha Deol (born
1982), who is also an actress, and
Ahana Deol.
She and her husband have been involved in politics, as supporters of the conservative
Bharatiya Janata Party. She was elected to the
Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the
Parliament of India, with the support of the BJP.
|
Hema Malini in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) |
*
Sholay*
Naya Zamaana
* Seeta Aur Geeta
* Kasauti
* Sharaafat
* Johnny Mera Naam
* Razia Sultan
* Naseeb
* Charas
* Patthar aur Payal
* Chacha Bhatija
* andaz
* sanyasi
* Raja Jani
* Mehbooba
* Baghbaan
* The Burning Train
* Aas Pass
* Dream Girl
* Lekin
* Khushboo
* Do Aur Do Paanch
* Alibaba Aur 40 Chor
* Baghawat
* Dharmatma
* Jugnu
* Justice Chaudhury
* Satte Pe Satta
* Kudrat
* Hum Dono
* Haath Ki Safai
* Premnagar
* Joshila
* Desh Premee
* Gora Aur Kala
* Hey! Ram
* Abhinetri
* Ameer Garib*
* Dost
* Dus Numbri
* Himalay Putra
* Jaaneman
* Veer-Zaara (special appearance)
* Baghban''
*
*
Article concerning her marriage to Dharmendra