Hema Malini
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Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician. She is primarily known for her work in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
films. Known for starring in both comic and dramatic roles, she is one of the most popular and successful leading actresses of mainstream Hindi cinema. She is known as ''Dream Girl'' of Hindi cinema. Malini made her acting debut in 1963 with the
Tamil film Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywood' ...
''
Idhu Sathiyam ''Idhu Sathiyam'' () is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. Shankar. The film stars S. A. Ashokan and K. Chandrakantha. It was released on 30 August 1963. The film was remade in Hindi as ''Shehzada'' (1972). Plot Cast ...
''. Malini first acted in a lead role in ''
Sapno Ka Saudagar ''Sapno Ka Saudagar'' () is a 1968 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Mahesh Kaul and produced by B. Ananthaswami. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Hema Malini, Tanuja and Nadira. The film's music was composed by Shankar Jaikishan. Plot Thi ...
'' (1968), and went on to feature in numerous
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
films, frequently opposite
Dharmendra Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
, whom she married in 1980. Malini was initially promoted as the "Dream Girl", and in 1977 starred in a film of the same name. During her career, she received eleven nominations for the
Filmfare Award for Best Actress The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Bollywood, Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first gi ...
, winning the award in 1973. In 2000, Malini won the
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the ''Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. List of honourees † - Indicates t ...
and in 2019
Filmfare Special Award The Filmfare Special Award or Special Performance Award or Special Mention or Special Jury Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. It acknowledges a special and unique performance and encoura ...
for 50 Years of Outstanding Contribution to Cinema. She is also honoured with the
Padma Shri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
, the fourth-highest civilian honour awarded by the
Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
.''Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri awardees.''
''The Hindu'' 27 January 2000 Accessed 14 June 2011.
In 2012, the Sir Padampat Singhania University conferred an
Honorary Doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
on Malini in recognition of her contribution to
Indian cinema The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, ...
. Malini served as chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation. In 2006, Malini received the Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts (SaMaPa) Vitasta award from
Bhajan Sopori Pandit Bhajan Sopori (22 June 1948 – 2 June 2022) was an Indian instrumentalist. He was a player of the santoor, an ancient stringed musical instrument. Early life and family Sopori was born in Srinagar to Shambhu Nath Sopori on 22 June ...
in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
for her contribution and service to Indian culture and dance. In 2013, she received the
NTR National Award The NTR National Award is an annual award presented by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to recognize people for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Cinema of India. The NTR National Award is an honorary Nandi Award in the honour ...
from the Government of
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
for her contribution to
Indian cinema The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, ...
. From 2003 to 2009, Malini was elected to the
Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
, the upper House of
parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
, as a representative of the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Modi ...
.Smt. ''Hema Malini, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha)- Bio Data''
Press Information Bureau of India.
In 2014, Malini was elected to the
Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past ...
. Malini has been involved with charitable and social ventures. Currently, Malini is also a life member of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktiv ...
(ISKCON).


Early life and family

Malini was born in a
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
Iyengar Brahmin family to Jaya Lakshmi and VSR Chakravarti Iyengar in Srirangam. She attended the Andhra Mahila Sabha in
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
where her favourite subject was history. She studied at DTEA Mandir Marg until the 11th Standard after which she pursued her acting career. Her first film with
Dharmendra Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
was ''
Tum Haseen Main Jawaan ''Tum Haseen Main Jawan'' () is a 1970 Hindi movie directed by Bhappi Sonie. The film stars Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Pran, Helen and Rajindernath. The film was remade in Kannada as ''Tuvvi Tuvvi Tuvvi'' in 1999. Plot Raja Sahib dies leavin ...
'' (1970). The two got married in 1980. Dharmendra already had two sons and two daughters with his first wife, two of whom later became
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
actors –
Sunny Deol Ajay Singh Deol (born 19 October 1956), better known by his stage name Sunny Deol, is an Indian actor, film director, producer, politician and current Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur (Lok Sabha constituency) of Punjab, India. As an actor, ...
and
Bobby Deol Vijay Singh Deol (born 27 January 1967) popularly known as Bobby Deol, is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema and web series. A member of the List of Hindi film families#Deol family, Deol family, he is the younger son of veteran actor Dhar ...
. Malini and Dharmendra have two children,
Esha Deol Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in '' Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ...
(born 1981) and Ahana Deol (born 1985). Madhoo Raghunath, who played the female lead in ''
Phool Aur Kaante ''Phool Aur Kaante'' () is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language action-romance film directed by Kuku Kohli. It stars Ajay Devgan, Madhoo, Aruna Irani, Jagdeep and Amrish Puri among others. The film marked the debut of Devgan, son of late stunt and ac ...
'', ''
Roja Roja may refer to: * ''Roja'' (film), a 1992 Tamil-language film by director Mani Ratnam * ''Roja'' (soundtrack), a soundtrack album from the film * Roja Selvamani Roja Selvamani (born Sri Latha Reddy; 17 November 1972), also known as R. K. ...
'' and '' Annayya'', is Malini's niece. On 11 June 2015, Hema Malini became grandmother when her younger daughter Ahana Deol gave birth to her first child, Darien Vohra. On 20 October 2017, she became grandmother for the second time when her elder daughter, Esha Deol Takhtani gave birth to a girl, Radhya Takhtani.


Film career


1960–1970 (Early work)

Malini had played small roles in ''
Pandava Vanavasam ''Pandava Vanavasam'' () is a 1965 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao and written by Samudrala Sr. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and Savitri, with music composed by Ghantasala. It was produced by A ...
'' (1965) and ''
Idhu Sathiyam ''Idhu Sathiyam'' () is a 1963 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. Shankar. The film stars S. A. Ashokan and K. Chandrakantha. It was released on 30 August 1963. The film was remade in Hindi as ''Shehzada'' (1972). Plot Cast ...
'' (1962). In 1968, she was chosen to play the lead opposite
Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of th ...
in ''
Sapno Ka Saudagar ''Sapno Ka Saudagar'' () is a 1968 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Mahesh Kaul and produced by B. Ananthaswami. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Hema Malini, Tanuja and Nadira. The film's music was composed by Shankar Jaikishan. Plot Thi ...
'' and promoted as Dream Girl.


1970–1979 (Established actress)

Malini played the lead in ''
Johnny Mera Naam ''Johny Mera Naam'' () is a 1970 Indian Hindi-language crime action film directed by Vijay Anand. The film stars the director's brother, Dev Anand and Pran in the roles of brothers separated in childhood. Hema Malini, Jeevan, Premnath, I. S. ...
'' (1970). Roles in subsequent films like '' Andaz'' (1971) and ''
Lal Patthar ''Lal Patthar'' is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by F. C. Mehra, and directed by Sushil Majumdar. The film is a remake of the Bengali film, ''Lal Pathar'' which released in 1964. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Hema Malini, Raakh ...
'' (1971) established her as a leading actress. In 1972, she played a double role opposite
Dharmendra Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
and
Sanjeev Kumar Sanjeev Kumar (born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala; 9 July 1938 – 6 November 1985) was an Indian actor. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrille ...
in ''
Seeta Aur Geeta ''Seeta aur Geeta'' () is a 1972 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film, written by Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) and directed by Ramesh Sippy. It stars Hema Malini, Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar in leading roles, and features mus ...
''''Revisiting Seeta Aur Geeta.''
Rediff.com 25 May 2009 Accessed July 2011
which earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award for the film.''The Winners – 1972– The 51st Filmfare Awards.''
''The Times of India''. 14 June 2011.
The list of successful films she starred include ''
Sanyasi ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
'', ''
Dharmatma ''Dharmatma'' () is a 1975 Hindi thriller movie and the first Bollywood film to be shot in Afghanistan. It was produced and directed by Feroz Khan. The movie is the first attempt in India to localise ''The Godfather''. The cast includes Feroz ...
'' and '' Pratigya'', ''
Sholay ''Sholay'' (, ) is a 1975 Indian Hindi-language action-adventure film directed by Ramesh Sippy, produced by his father G. P. Sippy, and written by Salim–Javed. The film is about two criminals, Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) ...
'', '' Trishul'' to name a few. Malini and Dharmendra, acted together in 28 films including ''
Sharafat ''Sharafat'' is a 1970 Hindi romantic drama film, directed by Asit Sen, starring Ashok Kumar, Dharmendra, Hema Malini in lead roles. Hema Malini plays the role of a feisty courtesan Chanda in search of her father, in this satire about society' ...
'', '' Tum Haseen Main Jawan'', '' Naya Zamana'', '' Raja Jani'', ''
Seeta Aur Geeta ''Seeta aur Geeta'' () is a 1972 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film, written by Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) and directed by Ramesh Sippy. It stars Hema Malini, Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar in leading roles, and features mus ...
'', '' Patthar Aur Payal'', '' Dost'' (1974), ''Sholay'' (1975), '' Charas'', '' Jugnu'', '' Trishul'', '' Apna Khoon'', '' Azaad'' (1978) and '' Dillagi'' (1978). Her chemistry with
Rajesh Khanna Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a record ...
was appreciated in '' Andaz'' and '' Prem Nagar''. Their subsequent films like '' Mehbooba'' and ''
Janta Hawaldar ''Janta Havaldar'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Mehmood, with Rajesh Khanna playing the title role, paired opposite Yogita Bali. The film has Ashok Kumar and Hema Malini making extended guest appearances. This film was no ...
'' however did not do well at the box-office.


1980–1997 (Commercial success)

In the 80s Malini continued to star in big budget films like ''
Kranti ''Kranti'' () is a 1981 Indian historical drama film, produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, with the story and screenplay written by Salim–Javed. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Dilip Kumar in the title role along with Manoj Kumar, ...
'', '' Naseeb'', ''
Satte Pe Satta ''Satte Pe Satta'' (transl. 'Seven on Seven') is an Indian Hindi-language action-comedy film released in 1982 and directed by Raj N. Sippy, and produced by Romu N. Sippy. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan, Ranjeeta Kaur ...
'' and ''
Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
'', most of which proved successful at the box-office. She continued to work in heroine-centric roles after becoming a mother, in films like '' Aandhi Toofan'', ''
Durgaa ''Durgaa'' is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Shibu Mitra. It stars Hema Malini in the title role, along with Ashok Kumar, Pran, Raj Babbar, Aruna Irani in pivotal roles. Rajesh Khanna made a special appearance here. The music is ...
'', ''
Ramkali Raga Ramkali is an early morning raga in Hindustani classical music which belongs to Bhairav Thaat. In this raga, as in Bhairav, Rishabh and Dhaivat are Komal( flat), but the Teevra and the flat nishad are added. The vadi-samvadi are Pancham a ...
'', '' Sitapur Ki Geeta'', ''
Ek Chadar Maili Si ''Ek Chadar Maili Si'' is a 1986 film, directed by Sukhwant Dhadda, and is an adaptation of Rajinder Singh Bedi's classic Urdu novella by the same name. The novel won the 1965 Sahitya Akademi Award. The film stars Hema Malini, Kulbhushan Kharb ...
'', '' Rihaee'' and '' Jamai Raja''. During this period, her films with Dharmendra included '' Alibaba Aur 40 Chor'', ''
Baghavat ''Baghavat'' is a 1982 Hindi language film starring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Amjad Khan and music composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal. The film is directed by Ramanand Sagar. It became a "hit" at the box office. Cast * Dharmendra as ...
'', ''
Samraat An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
'', '' Razia Sultan'', ''
Baghavat ''Baghavat'' is a 1982 Hindi language film starring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Amjad Khan and music composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal. The film is directed by Ramanand Sagar. It became a "hit" at the box office. Cast * Dharmendra as ...
'', and ''
Raaj Tilak ''Raaj Tilak'' ''(coronation)'' is a 1984 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Rajkumar Kohli, starring Dharmendra, Raaj Kumar, Sunil Dutt, Hema Malini, Kamal Haasan, Reena Roy, Ranjeeta Kaur, Yogeeta Bali, Sarika, Pran, Ranjeet, Raj Kiran ...
''. She continued to be paired with
Rajesh Khanna Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a record ...
in movies like '' Dard'', '' Bandish'', ''
Kudrat ''Kudrat'' () is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language drama film, written and directed by Chetan Anand. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini, supported by Raaj Kumar, Priya Rajvansh and Vinod Khanna. This is the second movie of the Rajesh Kh ...
'', '' Hum Dono'', ''Rajput'', '' Babu'', ''
Durgaa ''Durgaa'' is a 1985 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Shibu Mitra. It stars Hema Malini in the title role, along with Ashok Kumar, Pran, Raj Babbar, Aruna Irani in pivotal roles. Rajesh Khanna made a special appearance here. The music is ...
'', '' Sitapur Ki Geeta'' and ''
Paap Ka Ant ''Paap Ka Ant'' is a 1989 Indian film directed by Vijay Reddy. It stars Govinda, Madhuri Dixit in lead roles, along with Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini in very very special appearances. The music was composed by Bappi Lahiri. Cast * Rajesh Khann ...
'', some of which were major successes in her career. In the 1990s, she produced and directed the 1992 film ''
Dil Aashna Hai ''Dil Aashna Hai'' () is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Hema Malini under the H. M. Creations banner. It stars Divya Bharti, Shah Rukh Khan, Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Dimple Kapadia, Amrita Sing ...
'', starring
Divya Bharti Divya Bharti (; 25 February 1974 – 5 April 1993) was an Indian actress who worked predominantly in Hindi and Telugu films. Known for her acting versatility and beauty, she was considered one of the most popular and highest paid Indian actre ...
and Shah Rukh Khan in the leading roles. She also produced and directed her second feature film ''Mohini'' (1995), starring her niece
Madhoo Madhoo Shah (Madhubala) (born Padma Malini; 26 March 1969) is an Indian actress known for her works predominantly in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada language films. She was a part of Movies like ''Phool Aur Kaante'' (1991), '' Roja ...
and actor Sudesh Berry in the leading roles. She then focused on dancing and television work, only occasionally appearing in films. In 1997, she acted in
Vinod Khanna Vinod Khanna (6 October 1946 – 27 April 2017) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who is best known for his work in Hindi films; while also being a notable spiritual seeker. In Bollywood, he was the recipient of two Filmfare awa ...
's production ''
Himalay Putra ''Himalay Putra'' is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language romance film directed by Pankaj Parashar, starring Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini, Johnny Lever, Satish Shah, Danny Denzongpa, Amrish Puri and Rocky Grover. It introduced Akshaye Khanna, Anjala Zave ...
''.


2000(s)–present

After taking a break from films for a number of years, Malini made a comeback with ''
Baghban The Bagban are a Muslim community found in North as well as the Decca areas of West India.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 108 to 111 In the Deccan region they are known as Bagwan. The Bagwan ...
'' (2003), for which she earned a Filmfare Best Actress Award nomination. She also made guest appearances in the 2004 film ''
Veer-Zaara ''Veer-Zaara'' () is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra, who co-produced it with his son Aditya Chopra. It stars Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta as the eponymous star-crossed lovers: Veer Pratap Singh (K ...
'' and the 2007 film ''
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag – Journey Of A Woman'' () is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Pradeep Sarkar and starring Jaya Bachchan, Rani Mukherji, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher, Kunal Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan. Produc ...
'', in addition to a supporting role in the 2006 film ''Baabul''. In 2010, she acted in ''
Sadiyaan ''Sadiyaan'' () is a Bollywood film released in 2010 which stars Luv Sinha, Feryna Wazheir, Rishi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Javed Sheikh and Rekha. The story is about a family during the partition of India. The film was directed by Raj Kanwar and i ...
'' alongside fellow veteran actress
Rekha Bhanurekha Ganesan (born 10 October 1954), better known by her stage name Rekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in more than 180 fi ...
. In 2011, she produced and directed her third feature film '' Tell Me O Khuda'' which featured both her husband Dharmendra and her daughter Esha Deol, which was a box office failure. In 2017 she acted in the film '' Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi'' in the role of
Vijaya Raje Scindia Vijaya Raje Scindia (12 October 1919 – 25 January 2001), born Lekha Divyeshwari Devi and known popularly as the Rajmata of Gwalior, was a prominent Indian political personality. In the days of the British Raj, as consort of the last ruling Ma ...
of Gwalior, with Vinod Khanna as her husband, unfortunately it was Khanna's last film. The film was directed by
Gul Bahar Singh Gul Bahar Singh is a six time National Film Awards, national award winning Indian Filmmaking, film-maker. He received first national award in 1986 for his documentary film, ''Anukaran''. Early life Singh was born in Pakur, Jharkhand in a Sikh f ...
. The film was released on 21 April 2017. Her latest film is ''
Shimla Mirchi ''Shimla Mirchi'' () is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Ramesh Sippy, starring Hema Malini, Rajkummar Rao and Rakul Preet Singh. It is jointly produced by Ramesh Sippy, Rohan Sippy and Kiran Juneja. The film had a ...
'', starring
Rajkummar Rao Rajkummar Rao (born Raj Kumar Yadav; 31 August 1984) is an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi films. He has appeared in more than 30 films since 2010, and is the recipient of several accolades including a National Film Award, three ...
and
Rakul Preet Singh Rakul Preet Singh (born 10 October 1990) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil films. She made her acting debut with the Kannada film '' Gilli'' (2009). She has won several awards including a SIIMA Award with ...
. The movie was theatrically released in India on 3 January 2020. And it was made available on Netflix on 27 January 2020. In 2021, she was honored with Indian Film Personality of the Year Award at 52nd International Film Festival of India.


Political career

In 1999, Malini campaigned for the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Modi ...
(BJP) candidate, Vinod Khanna, a former Bollywood actor, in the
Lok Sabha Elections The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past ...
in
Gurdaspur Gurdaspur is a city in the Indian state of Punjab, between the rivers Beas and Ravi. It houses the administrative headquarters of Gurdaspur District and is in the geographical centre of the district, which shares a border with Pakistan. The ...
,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
. In February 2004, Malini officially joined the BJP.''Hema Malini joins BJP.''
''The Hindu'' 20 February 2004 Accessed 14 June 2011.
From 2003 to 2009, she served as an MP to the upper housethe
Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
, having been nominated by the then
President of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...
,
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...
. In March 2010, Malini was made general secretary of the BJP, and in February 2011, she was recommended by
Ananth Kumar Hegannahalli Narayana Shastry Ananth Kumar (22 July 1959 – 12 November 2018) was an Indian politician affiliated with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Min ...
, the party general secretary.''Karnataka News : BJP picks Hema Malini for RS.''
''The Hindu'' 19 February 2011 Accessed 14 June 2011.
In the 2014 general elections for the
Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past ...
, Malini defeated the
Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...
incumbent, Jayant Chaudhary ( RLD) by 3,30,743 votes. Malini was then elected to the Lok Sabha.


Association with social causes

Malini is a supporter of the animal rights organization, PETA India. In 2009, she wrote a letter to the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner urging him to ban horse carriages from
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
's busy streets. In 2011, she wrote to the Union Minister for Environment and Forests,
Jairam Ramesh Jairam Ramesh (born 9 April 1954) is an Indian politician belonging to Indian National Congress. He is a Member of Parliament representing Karnataka state in the Rajya Sabha. In July 2011, Jairam was elevated to the Union Council of Ministers o ...
, urging him to ban
bull fighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...
(''
jallikattu (or ), also known as and , is a traditional event in which a bull (''Bos indicus''), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's ba ...
''). She said, "My friends at PETA have organised investigations at
Jallikattu (or ), also known as and , is a traditional event in which a bull (''Bos indicus''), such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's ba ...
events and documented that bulls are pulled roughly by their nose rings, punched, pummelled, hit with sharp sticks and crammed into trucks so tightly that they can barely move". PETA named Malini their "PETA Person of the Year" for 2011. As a
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...
, she said, "Knowing that my food choices are helping the planet and animals too, makes me happy".


Other works


Dance

Malini is a trained
Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of S ...
dancer. Her daughters
Esha Deol Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in '' Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ...
and Ahana Deol are trained
Odissi Odissi (), also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India.Khajuraho Dance Festival The Khajuraho Dance Festival (''IAST:Khajuraho Nritya Samaroh''), organised by the Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad, is a one-week festival of classical dances held annually beside the Khajuraho temples in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh st ...
. Malini studied
Kuchipudi Kuchipudi () ( Telugu: ) is one of the eight major Indian classical dances. It originates from a village named Kuchipudi in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi is a dance-drama performance, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sa ...
with
Vempati Chinna Satyam Vempati Chinna Satyam (15 October 1929 – 29 July 2012) was an Indian dancer and a guru of the Kuchipudi dance form. Chinna Satyam was born in a brahmin family at Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. He was taught by Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry ...
and
Mohiniattam Mohiniyattam, ( ml, മോഹിനിയാട്ടം), is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. Kathakali is another classical dance form of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name fr ...
with
Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed to be University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on ...
Guru Gopalakrishnan. She has played a number of dance roles including
Narasimha Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...
and
Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
in
Tulasidas Tulsidas (; born Rambola Dubey; also known as Goswami Tulsidas; c.1511pp. 23–34.–1623) was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but ...
's ''
Ramcharitmanas ''Ramcharitmanas'' ( deva, श्रीरामचरितमानस, Rāmacaritamānasa), is an epic poem in the Awadhi language, based on the ''Ramayana'', and composed by the 16th-century Indian bhakti poet Tulsidas (c. 1532–1623). Thi ...
''. In 2007, she performed in
Mysuru Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
on the eve of
Dussehra Vijayadashami ( sa, विजयदशमी, Vijayadaśamī, translit-std=IAST), also known as Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu ...
, where she played the roles of Sati,
Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
and
Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around c ...
. Malini owns the Natya Vihar Kalakendra dance school.


Television

Malini has appeared in television serials such as ''Jai Mata Ki'' (2000), directed by
Puneet Issar Puneet Issar (born 6 November 1959) is an Indian actor, writer, director, producer and dialect coach best known for his works in Hindi films and television shows. Issar started his acting career as a villain in the Manmohan Desai's 1983 film ' ...
. She played the role of goddess
Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around c ...
. Other television series appearances include ''
Kamini Damini ''Kamini Damini'' is an Indian television drama series which premiered on 27 December 2004 on Sahara One. The series is based on Bollywood movie Seeta Aur Geeta, and stars Hema Malini in the main lead. The show replaced Sridevi starring Malini ...
'' on
Sahara One Sahara One is an Indian Hindi general entertainment channel based in New Delhi. It is operated by Sahara India Pariwar. History Sahara One was launched as Sahara TV on 28 March 2000, which later in April 2003 was renamed as Sahara Manoranjan. ...
where she played twin sisters and ''Noopur'' which Malini directed and in which she played a Bharatanatyam dancer. Malinialso starred in Yug, a fictional series depicting the story of
Indian freedom fighters The Indian independence movement consisted of efforts by individuals and organizations from a wide spectrum of society to obtain political independence from the British, French and Portuguese rule through the use of a many methods. This is a l ...
and their struggle to win freedom for India.


Production and promotional work

Malini was the editor of ''
New Woman The New Woman was a feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century and had a profound influence well into the 20th century. In 1894, Irish writer Sarah Grand (1854–1943) used the term "new woman" in an influential article, to refer to ...
'' and '' Meri Saheli'', Hindi women's magazine. In 2000, Malini was appointed as the first female chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation for a term of three years. In 2007, Malini entered a promotional contract with
Kent RO Systems Kent RO Systems is an Indian healthcare products company headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. It makes water purifiers based on the process of reverse osmosis purification. Over the years the company has diversified into other products such ...
, makers of a mineral water purifier system. Malini also became a brand ambassador for
Pothys Pothys is a chain of textile showrooms in South India. Originally they exclusively sold silk sarees, but today all types of garments are sold. The flagship store in Chennai is called Pothys' Palace. History Pothys (stylised as POTHYS) was ...
, a textile showroom in
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
.


Accolades and recognition


Legacy

, three biographical books about Malini have been published: '' Hema Malini: Diva Unveiled'' (2005) and '' Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl'' (2017) by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, and '' Hema Malini: The Authorized Biography'' (2007) by
Bhawana Somaaya Bhawana Somaaya is an Indian film journalist, critic, author and historian. She has been honoured with the Padma Shri in the year 2017 by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. Starting her career as film reporter in 1978, she went to work w ...
.


Filmography


Bibliography

* * *


See also

* List of awards and nominations received by Hema Malini *
List of Indian film actresses This is an alphabetical list of notable Indian film actresses. A * Aaditi Pohankar * Aahana Kumra * Aakanksha Singh * Aamna Sharif * Aanchal Munjal * Aarathi * Aarti Agarwal * Aarti Chhabria * Aashka Goradia * Abhirami * Adah Sharma ...


References


Further reading

* *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Malini, Hema 1948 births Living people People from Thanjavur district Indian female dancers Indian film actresses Nandi Award winners Indian television actresses Actresses in Hindi cinema Hindi-language film directors Indian women film producers Film producers from Uttar Pradesh Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Actresses in Tamil cinema Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha Indian women film directors Indian actor-politicians Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh India MPs 2014–2019 20th-century Indian actresses 21st-century Indian actresses Women in Uttar Pradesh politics 20th-century Indian film directors Dancers from Tamil Nadu 21st-century Indian women politicians 21st-century Indian politicians 20th-century Indian women politicians 20th-century Indian politicians Women members of the Lok Sabha Indian Vaishnavites Screenwriters from Uttar Pradesh Indian women screenwriters Indian television directors Indian television producers 21st-century Indian film directors People from Mathura district 20th-century Indian dancers 21st-century Indian dancers 21st-century Indian women artists 20th-century Indian women artists Businesswomen from Tamil Nadu Filmfare Awards winners Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award winners Women television producers India MPs 2019–present Women members of the Rajya Sabha Women in Karnataka politics Indian women television directors