Happy Birthday Hema Malini: As original dream girl turns 71, see her family pics with Dharmendra, Esha Deol
On actor-politician Hema Malini’s birthday, here’s a look at some of her intimate family pictures with Dharmendra and daughters Esha and Ahana.
Actor-politician Hema Malini turned 71 on Wednesday (October 16). The actor, whom the millennials can recall only as a dancer and a BJP politician, was once the highest-paid female superstar on Bollywood. The era was the 1970s and Hema was its prima donna. On her 71st birthday today, a look at her career, life and intimate family pictures.
Born in 1948 to a Tamil-speaking Iyengar family, Hema did her early education in Chennai. Her father was later posted in Delhi, where she attended school at the Delhi Tamil Education Association Serior School (DTEA) on Mandir Marg. After Class 11, she quit to commence her acting career. Hema made her debut as a supporting actor in the Tamil film, Idhu Sathiyam (1962) but failed to make a mark. Then, in 1968, he made her Hindi film debut in Raj Kapoor’s Sapno Ka Saudagar. It was with this film that the sobriquet ‘Dream Girl’ came to be associated with her as it was coined for her during the film’s promotion. Originally meant to be done by Vyajayanthimala, Hema stepped in when the veteran actor backed out. Her iconic beauty, strong personality and dancing skills immediately got her noticed.
Hema would make her mark next in Dev Anand’s Johnny Mera Naam (1970). After that, there was no stopping Hema. She went on to star in a number of hit films -- Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Andaz (1971), Sholay (1975), Trishul (1978), Meera (1979), Naseeb (1981) and Satte Pe Satta (1982) to name a few.
Hema would emerge as the highest paid female actor of her times (1976 - 1980). She also among the actors who continued to work after marriage, much like Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee. Her personal life was a constant fodder for the gossip mills, given her affair with the much-married Dharmendra, her almost-married-to-Jeetendra stories in the tabloids and late actor Sanjeev Kumar’s one-sided love for Hema. In fact, her marriage to Dharmendra in 1980 itself was rather controversial. Stories of her strained relationship with Dharmendra’s sons -- Sunny and Bobby -- too are legendary.
In later years, her life and dedication for dance made headlines, often doing shows in the company of her daughters, actor Esha Deol and younger daughter Ahana. Their weddings too were public affairs. In recent times, as the sitting Member of Parliament from Mathura, she is constantly in news.
On Hema Malini’s birthday today, here’s a look at some of family and public images.
Here’s wishing the actor happy birthday!
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