By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
दोनों मिल के आज मुस्कुरायें
एक बात तुमको हम सुनायें
हमने यह सुना हैं
के लोग जल रहे हैं
अरमान निकल रहे हैं.
कितना मज़ा आ रहा है
Hema Malini made a cameo appearance in Tamil film ” Idhu Sathiyam” starring S. A. Ashokan,T. S. Balaiah, K. Chandrakantha & Manorama. She tasted stardom with ‘Sapno Ka Sadagar’ (1968) opposite Raj Kapoor playing a sharp-witted nubile cutie. Vijay Anand’s “Johny Mera Naam” (1970) elevated her to enjoy ‘Star’ status. She caught the fancy of cine goers so to say. She also did a film opposite Rakesh Roshan titled “Praya Dhan” ( 1971) with some hit numbers to boast like ‘Aaj Unse Pehli Mulaqat Hogi’ & ‘Aao Jhoomey Gaayen’. She played a double role in Ramesh Sippy’s” Seeta Aur Geeta” ( 1972) opposite Dharmendra & Sanjeev Kumar to win her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. The film had few popular songs “O Saathi Chal Mujhe Le Ke Saath Chal Tu” was pick of the lot picturized on Hema-Sanjeev Kumar duo ably rendered by Asha Bhosle-Kishore Kumar. “Sharafat”1970), “Naya Zamana”, “Andaz”, “Lal Pathhar”, “Tere Mere Sapne”( all 1971 releases) were some other notable films of the actress.
Known for her dancing prowess and beauty she was rightly bestowed with the title ‘Dream Girl’. In fact she was promoted in the film industry as ‘Dream Girl’ from the world go. Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar & even Raj Kumar were enamored by her beauty but the actress chose Dharmendra as her ‘Dream Merchant’. For Dharmendra it was a ‘big catch’ so to say.
“Kranti”,”Naseeb” & “Kudrat’ were her other notable films released in 1981.
“Amir Garib”, “Prem Nagar”(1974), “Dharmatama” & “Sholay”(1975), Mehbooba”( 976), “Trishul” ( 1978), “Kranti” ( 1981) “Razia Sultan” ( 1983) & “Baghbaan”( 2003) were other notable films of Hema Malini. Remembered for her role in ‘Sholay’ as a playful & too talkative ‘Basanti Tangewali’.
It would be injustice if we did not mention some hit numbers from her films the likes of- “Sharifon Ka Zamaane Me, Sharafat Chodd De Maine” (Sharafat-1970), “O Mere Raja, Khafa Na Hona” (Johny Mera Naam-1970), “Zindagi Ik Safar Hai Suhana”, ( Andaaz-1971), ” Hume Tumse Pyaar Kitna Yeh Hum Nahin Jaante” ( Kudrat-1981), & “Aye Dil-E -Nadaan” ( Razia Sultan-1983). She also worked as a director, producer, choreographer, besides being a politician.
She was bestowed with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award & Padma Shri in 2000. Currently, BJP Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha representing Mathura constituency in Uttar Pradesh since 2014. Hema Malini who married Dharmendra on 21 August 1979, is blessed with two daughters. While both Hema Malini and Dharmendra rarely open up about their personal relationship and marriage, the actress spoke with impunity about how she fell in love with Veeru of Sholay in her authorized biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’, which was released in 2017.
