Hema Malini defined everything that the Dream Girl tag stood for. She could dance, act, emote with equal ease. In an age when commercial film actresses rarely did anything apart from being damsels in distress and glamour dolls, Hema did that and more. She danced on glass shrapnel, climbed fans on ceilings, rode horses in the wild and even kicked bad guy butt. Her fans thought she was as important as the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra. And filmmakers validated these claims by paying her at par with her male stars.
Her dominance was unprecedented and almost all of it was a result of her unmatched beauty and grace. Surely it was her prowess in Bharat Natyam that gave her that phenomenal poise and grace.
Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968)
Legend has it that a 15-year-old Hema Malini was rejected by the Tamil film industry for being too skinny. Call it a blessing in disguise because it was only after the rejection that Hema was able to concentrate on her dancing and become a Bharat Natyam specialist while biding time for her film debut. It was five years later that producer Ananthaswamy offered her a dream role opposite Raj Kapoor in Sapnon Ka Saudagar.
She played Mahi a princess-like village girl who captured the imagination of a gentleman in rural India, played by Raj Kapoor. He sold dreams, she looked like a dream and the rest fell in place. Fancy clothing and her beauty made Hema look the perfect dream girl. A formal sobriquet wasn’t bestowed on her back then but film goers knew they’d found a real dream lady.
Johny Mera Naam (1970)
The dream girl tag took a back seat as Hema paced her career. She starred in a few masala films like Waris (1968) and Sharafat (1969) (her first film with Dharmendra). But the big break came when Vijay Anand and Dev Anand cast her in Johny Mera Naam. People weren’t expecting it to do well, especially since it was in the wake of a similar sounding film, Mera Naam Joker. But fate had other plans. Joker flopped; Johny became a cult hit. And right at the centre of all the action was a resuscitated career for Dev Anand and possibly the most beautiful woman people had seen on screen since Madhubala. That’s not all, this young lady could dance like a dream, do comedy scenes with Anand and Pran and even do action. Producers had found their golden goose.
Lal Patthar (1971)
Not many actresses would fight their popular image, but Hema was made of different mettle. The glam doll quotient went on the back burner as she portrayed a village girl with peculiar and uncouth ways. She played a traumatised girl Madhuri who’s rescued by the abstinent Kumar Bahadur (Raaj Kumar) and inducted into a royal lifestyle.
The role was Hema’s bouquet of emotions. She aced the bits of comedy and drama with ease. That’s not all. Later in the film when Kumar decides to marry Sumita (Raakhee), Madhuri developed feelings of envy and pride as she became manipulative and coarse. Again Hema delivered a strong performance balancing her grey shades, while managing to look like a million bucks.
Andaz (1971)
Cinematic history was written when a couple rode a motorcycle and shouted out to the world that they were in love and life was beautiful because they were together. This was the stuff that made Rajesh Khanna the apple of every Indian eye and it helped that the most beautiful lady in the country was with him. The movie was Andaz and the now immortal song Zindagi ek safar hai suhana. Hema Malini was barely 23 and looked good enough to make teen hearts skip a beat or two. They say other actresses weren’t game for complicated roles like that of Sheetal in Andaz. But Hema had no qualms about playing a widow, a single mother and a lady ready to fall in love with Shammi Kapoor’s character and remarry. Her role had all the trappings to please the critics as well as the glamour to charm the average moviegoer. Hema Malini had arrived.
Seeta Aur Geeta (1972)
They say if you haven’t done a double role you haven’t attained stardom. That thought started with Seeta Aur Geeta. Hema Malini played the role of twin sisters - one submissive and the other feisty. And what a contrast they were. Her bits as the fiery Geeta were full of humour and perfect comic timing. She made you laugh and cry in turn with consummate ease. No wonder she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. This performance of Hema Malini is only overshadowed by her Basanti in Sholay. That’s the relevance of Seeta Aur Geeta to Hema’s career.
Patthar Aur Payal (1974)
1973 was one of Hema Malini’s most successful years. Jugnu with Dharmendra became quite the hit. There were also big ticket films like Chhupa Rustam, Shareef Badmaash and Amir Garib, all three with Dev Anand. Her commercial films were a big hit and almost every producer wanted Hema Malini on board. Patthar Aur Payal was one such potboiler of a film made memorable thanks to the good looking actors on display. There was Dharmendra, there was an antagonistic Vinod Khanna and then Hema. Amidst warring dacoit heroes and villains, Hema played a damsel in distress, a fashionista (giving dacoit Dharmendra a big city makeover) and a fantastic dancer all rolled into one.
Khushboo (1975)
The Smita Patils and the Shabana Azmis were making waves in alternate cinema and winning critical accolades. Commercial doll Hema Malini was not to be left behind in the race. In this Gulzar film about lost and found love, Hema played a simple girl with a broken heart. Kusum (Hema) was betrothed to Brindaban (Jeetendra) when they were kids. They’re separated and many years later he returns but with a child of his own. The movie deals with reconciliation as Kusum develops a bond with Brindaban’s son and finally unites with Brindaban. Masterful underplay and a wide range of restrained emotions helped Hema ace her role.
Sholay (1975)
Chatter makes noise but in the case of Sholay and Basanti, it makes movie legends. Amongst the many other things we remember this classic by, one is the constant rattle with which Hema Malini livens up the screen. In a movie about larger-than-life heroes, for a woman to hold her own speaks volumes for the actress. The Basanti-Dhanno (her horse) connection, the Basanti-Veeru romance and the Jab tak hain jaan dance are testimony to the fact that Hema was actress number one.
Charas (1976)
Charas was a Hindi film trying to be Hollywood. It had lavish sets, big action, James Bond-like gadgets, car chases, the complete works. At the heart of all that action was some serious flirtation and romance between Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Hema played an actress who is blackmailed by the bad guy Kalicharan (Ajit) making her smuggle opium for him. That was the basic conflict of her character. But her best scenes were the romantic ones with Dharmendra. Their scenes together were intimate and racy. One could tell by their onscreen chemistry that the two were head over heels about each other. But in the midst of pheromone clouds, Hema maintained a dignified air for her quintessential glamourous character.
Mehbooba (1976)
Mere naina saawan bhadon is a timeless classic and one of the rare Hema Malini songs where she didn’t need to employ her legendary dancing skills. But Mehbooba was more than just good music. This was a tale of reincarnation where Hema’s Jhumri (a gypsy girl) and Rajesh Khanna’s Sooraj meet again in the next life.
Those big eyes were the perfect vehicle to convey Hema’s grief and longing. Hema was beautiful and impressive in both her roles, that of the royal courtesan Ratna and the gypsy girl Jhumri.
Dream Girl (1977)
The entire country was mesmerised by Hema Malini’s beauty and it was the perfect time to cash in on the opportunity. It was popular perception that Hema was the Dream Girl of every Indian male. So the movie was conceptualised and plugged around the country as the ultimate showcase for India’s Dream Girl. Under several pseudonyms and varying characters a la Peter Sellers, Hema got a chance to flaunt her versatility. This was an author backed role if you ever saw one. The highlight again was how good Hema could look in various avatars like a princess, a street girl or a dancer.
Kinara (1977)
Not to be carried away by the uproarious cheers across theatres for her glamourous roles, Hema was balancing her career by working in middle-of-the-road films like Kinara. These were projects where she looked like a million bucks and had well etched characters to portray. In Kinara, Hema played a Bharat Natyam dancer who loses the love of her life in an accident. Heart broken, she finds solace in her art and in her endeavour to publish the writings of her lost lover. Enter Jeetendra in a sober avatar; he helps Hema, falls for her too only to later reveal that it was his car that had killed Hema’s love. Her role was tragic and stoic. She turns blind but continues dancing and working towards finding a publisher. The character had strong hues of feminism and who better to portray that than the number one lady in the country?
Dillagi (1978)
A complete departure from the mad mad world of commercial films was Basu Chatterjee’s slice of life look at two oddball teachers falling for each other. Hema’s character was called Phoolrenu and she was the perfect image of a nerd in the film. A chemistry teacher, Hema’s pronunciation of carbon dioxide was hilarious. There was obviously more. Hema’s character was uptight, low on confidence and averse to every romantic advance Dharmendra made at her. Naturally, the film and Hema’s performance turned out funny with a nice dollop of real-life drama in the end.
Meera (1979)
In Meera, Gulzar showed a woman’s struggle to find her independence, dignity and spiritual satisfaction. It was a contrast to the usual belief that women were only meant to be home makers. It was a historical look at the mythological love story of Meera and Krishna. Like in mythology, Meera here (daughter to a Rajasthani King) is devoted to Krishna. Despite getting married to a Mughal prince (Vinod Khanna) she continues her obsessive love for the Lord and that naturally irks her royal in-laws. This was a different sort of a character for Hema, sacrificing self for spiritual love.
Satte Pe Satta (1982)
Nothing could stop Hema’s dominance at the box office. Regular masala movies like Naseeb and Kudrat turned out to be hits. But for every hit there were also embarrassments like Kranti and Samraat. The story with Satte Pe Satta was slightly different. A remake of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, the film performed moderately at the box office. But unlike other commercial films of the time, Hema Malini had a meatier role. Her job as the wife of the eldest brother (Amitabh Bachchan) was to groom and educate his six uncouth siblings.
Razia Sultan (1983)
When Kamal Amrohi made movies, they looked like they deserved the magnum opus title. Razia Sultan would’ve merited that title too. With its production values and story recreating a Turkish world long forgotten. Sadly, Amrohi forgot to pace his film and Razia Sultan dragged along like a sloth on the screen, long and overdrawn. The saving grace along with its production and music was Hema Malini’s all round performance. In a role where action, poise and beauty were all important, Hema seemed to have them all.
Andhaa Kanoon (1983)
New, younger actresses like Sridevi, Padmini Kolhapure, Rati Agnihotri and Jaya Prada were breaking onto the scene, stealing the limelight from Hema Malini. But Hema hadn’t lost her steam. She could perform with the same gusto as the younger lot and she proved it with Andhaa Kanoon. Playing a feisty cop she could bash up goons better than Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth. It was a new look for the usually demure and charming Hema Malini. She later reprised a similar role in Desh Ke Dushman (1989).
Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986)
Hema’s career was losing its steam. The Dharmendra-Hema pairing was now buried in movie history. Forgettable flicks like Ramkali and Hum Dono weren’t helping her cause. Naturally, she started to veer towards senior characters in films like Ek Nai Paheli and Qaidi. In Ek Chadar Maili Si Hema Malini played an earthy village woman who loses her husband and is forced to wed her brother-in-law Rishi Kapoor. The film portrayed the plight of Indian women and the prevalent feudalism in rural India. The message might be outdated today but Hema’s resounding performance makes this film worth a re-watch.
Rihaee (1988)
After doing a few forgettable movies in the ’80s, Hema featured as a village woman in Rihaee. This forgotten film is one of her boldest roles to date. Hema played Taku, a woman longing for the love and warmth of her husband who’s away in the city. Craving love, Taku is seduced by Mansukh (Naseeruddin Shah). She gets pregnant, confesses to her husband but maintains that she wouldn’t have an abortion. Rihaee symbolised a woman’s freedom of choice. The unshackling from tradition and orthodoxy.
Baghban (2003)
Throughout the ’90s right up to 2000, Hema Malini featured in run-of-the-mill middle-aged lady roles. Whether it was playing the autocratic mother in Jamai Raja or a guest appearance in Lekin, Hema maintained an air of dignity even though her roles were nothing to talk about. Hema made a comeback of sorts in 2003 with Baghban. The role was meaty, especially since she was dealing with insensitive sons and craving the company of her husband (Amitabh Bahchan). But what really made people stand up and take notice was how beautiful Hema looked at the ripe age of 56. And as was the case through her career, no one took notice of her accentuated dialogue delivery because everyone was too busy being enamoured by her ageless beauty.