‘Sab ko pata tha Hemaji aur Dharamji ka ishq chal raha hai’: Hema Malini’s Sholay body double Reshma Pathan

Hema Malini's body double Reshma Pathan shares behind-the-scenes insights on how Hema Malini and Dharmendra kept their romance discreet on set of Sholay.

It’s been over four decades since Hema Malini and Dharmendra tied the knot, but their love story began much earlier. The two were dating while shooting for the iconic film Sholay, with their real-life romance adding an extra spark to their on-screen chemistry. Now, as the film marks 50 years since its release, Hema Malini’s body double Reshma Pathan spills secrets about their then-private relationship.

Reshma Pathan performed all the stunts for Hema Malini in Sholay.

On Hema-Dharmendra’s romance

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Reshma Pathan, who did all the stunts for Hema Malini in the Ramesh Sippy’s directorial, recalls working with the actor on the set of Sholay.

“Hum sabko pata tha ke Hemaji aur Dharamji ka ishq chal raha hai (we all on the set knew that they are dating). But they never showed that on the set. They were always professional on the set. Set pe toh alag alag hi rehte the (on the set, they spent most of the time away from each other),” Reshma tells us.

The 71-year-old continues, “Phele ke log, alag alag hi hote the aur set pe nahi dhikhate the (Actors from the old days were really different in private and didn't reveal it on set). So, Hemaji and Dharamji never let their love for each other show on the set. They were in the same hotel, but in different rooms. In the free time, Dharamji used to be with his team, and Hemaji used to spend time with her team, which included me too.”

“Today, I feel proud to see them still together. They are an icon and inspiration for all the couples,” Reshma shares.

On working on Sholay

Written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, Sholay has become a cult classic, remembered for its iconic dialogues, memorable songs, and the camaraderie between its characters – from the friendship of Jai and Veeru to the romance between Veeru and Basanti, and Gabbar's reign of terror in the village. Reshma credits the film for changing her life, and even years later, she's fondly remembered as 'The Sholay Girl'.

The film also starred Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan, Iftekhar, AK Hangal, Jagdeep, Asrani, Mac Mohan, and Viju Khote.

“I got respect after the film, which I didn’t get for any other project. I have worked a lot with Hema ji. She used to ask for me in every film…. We used to sit together, eat together, she used to take me to her place,” Reshma recalls.

She continues, “Today, people remember the scene where tonga hits a rock and falls… Well, the film team forgot to replace the real wheel with the duplicate wheel, and the tonga fell on me after hitting the rock. It was retained in the film, but that was the planned scene. It is a memorable scene, but little do people know that I got 17 stitches on left leg, bruised my right leg and hurt my back.”

Reshma also mentioned that there was an incident when Dharamendra gave her ₹100 after she performed a deadly stunt during the Holi sequence.

“I refused to accept the money, but my master asked me to take it saying, ‘He is giving it because he is happy with your shot’. That’s when I accepted the moment from him,” she notes.

About Hema and Dharmendra

Hema and Dharmendra met for the first time in 1970, while working on their film Tum Haseen Main Jawaan. They got married in 1980 and share two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. Hema and Dharmendra were one of the most popular on-screen pairings of the 1970s and starred together in a number of successful films including Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Dillagi, and Dream Girl.