Bollywood’s ‘Dream Girl’ Hema Malini debuted in Hindi films with Sapno Ke Saudagar. Raised in a Tamil Brahmin family, proficient in Bharatnatyam and the 19-year-old daughter of a government employee, the journey from real to reel was not easy. Hema has mentioned that period on many occasions. Hema Malini is a woman who has played every role in life with great enthusiasm, be it that of an actress, a dancer, a girlfriend, a wife, a mother, or an MP.

Brother R.K. Chakraborty has mentioned some of Hema’s specialties in his book ‘Galloping Decades: Handling the Passage of Time’. Bhavna Somaya’s ‘Hema Malini: The Authorized Biography’ talks about those moments of life which introduced Hindi cinema to a powerful actress.

‘Hema never walked, she used to glide’
Born on 16 October 1948 in Ammankudi in Tiruchirappalli district, Hema was on the stage from a young age, but no one had seen her as an actress. She was just a quiet child at home, whom mother Jaya Lakshmi Iyer used to make her practice Bharatanatyam. Mother knew that this girl would not be an ordinary girl but would become a dedicated seeker. Father, V.S. Raman was a government employee. Brother R. Chakraborty wrote in his book about Hema’s quest – ‘She grew not in age but in rhythm, Hema never walked, she used to glide.’ This is the lime which tells that Hema progressed not because of age but because of Nupur’s jhankar.

Bollywood debut with ‘Sapno Ka Saudagar’
Then came the time when Hema entered Hindi films. The first film was ‘Sapno Ka Saudagar’ and the actor opposite was The Great Showman Raj Kapoor. Hema Malini: The Authorized Biography has the whole story from her journey to her first screen test. In this, there is mention of the rift between father and mother in Hema’s house. Also that the father did not eat dinner with the family due to anger for the whole week and also how the mother finally convinced him.

Hema Malini was rejected in Tamil film
Hema also did not aspire to appear on screen, but she respected her mother’s wishes and also chose to overcome the humiliation that arose from being rejected in a Tamil film years ago. Well, the screen test of this film is still imprinted on Hema Malini’s mind. He told that the screen test was to be held in Deonar’s studio. By then Hema had established herself as a dancer on stage.

Hema Malini had her own staff which included make-up man Madhav Pai, dressman Vishnu and spot-boy Hanuman. Everyone encouraged Hema. Showing the dresses of veteran actresses like Padmini and Vyjayantimala in the dress room, Vishnu said, ‘One day, apart from these, your dresses will also be hung?’ The makeup man said, ‘Be fearless, perform as if there is no one else in the room except you… Open your heart and see how the light shines on your face.’ Nervous Hema calmed down a bit and gave the test.

Fulfilled mother’s wish by becoming an actress
Seeing what this 18-19 year old actress did on stage, Raj Kapoor also said with pride – ‘Is she going to become the biggest star of the Indian screen?’ It was like a balm on the wounds of Hema and her mother Jaya, who were completely rejected in the South. Coming to films was not his decision. This was his mother’s wish. But becoming a dream girl was not even her dream. People gave him this as a title. She got success, but she never settled in it.

‘She was soft in love, and harsh in discipline’
Hema Malini loved, married and started a family but amidst all this she remained a dancer. When daughters Isha and Ahana sit in front of him on his birthday with Ghunghrus, he looks at them not as a mother but as a guru. These contradictions are Hema – harsh in kindness, compassionate in harshness. Brother also writes on this – ‘She was soft in love, and strict in discipline.’ These two lines will probably not be found in any biography, but this is the truth which the title of ‘Dream Girl’ could never touch.

‘He never chased fame…’
There is a line hidden in her brother’s book, which is perhaps the truest introduction to the only sister Hema and that is – ‘She never chased fame, but searched for decency and fame followed her breathlessly.’ hey