Hema Malini

 Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician. She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Malini made her acting debut in 1963 with the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam. 

Born: 16 October 1948 (age 73 years), Ammankudi

Spouse: Dharmendra (m. 1980)

Children: Esha Deol, Ahana Deol

Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Actress, Padma Shri, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement, Screen Award for Jodi No. 1, ANR National Award, more

Education: Delhi Tamil Education Association Sr. Sec. School, Andhra Mahila Sabha.

During her career, she received eleven nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, winning the award in 1973.[12] In 2000, Malini won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2019 Filmfare Special Award for 50 Years of Outstanding Contribution to Cinema.[13] She is also honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour awarded by the Government of India.[14] In 2012, the Sir Padampat Singhania University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on Malini in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema.[15] 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 in Delhi for her contribution and service to Indian culture and dance. In 2013, she received the NTR National Award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for her contribution to Indian cinema.[16]

From 2003 to 2009, Malini was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper House of parliament, as a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[17] In 2014, Malini was elected to the Lok Sabha. Malini has been involved with charitable and social ventures. Currently, Malini is also a life member of the International Society for Krishna.

Malini was born in a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin[19] family to Jaya Lakshmi and VSR Chakravarti Iyengar in Srirangam.[20][21] She attended the Andhra Mahila Sabha in Chennai where her favourite subject was history.[22] She studied at DTEA Mandir Marg until the 11th Standard after which she pursued her acting career.[23]

Her first film with Dharmendra was Tum Haseen Main Jawaan (1970).[24] The two got married in 1980.[4][7] Dharmendra's first wife refused to divorce him, so the two converted to Islam and tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Khandaala.[25] Dharmendra already had two sons and two daughters with his first wife, two of whom later became Bollywood actors – Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Malini and Dharmendra have two children, Esha Deol (born 1981)[26] and Ahana Deol (born 1985).[27][28][29]

Madhoo Raghunath, who played the female lead in Phool Aur Kaante, Roja 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.[30]

Film career

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1960–1970 (Early work)

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Malini had played small roles in Pandava Vanavasam (1965) and Idhu Sathiyam (1962). In 1968, she was chosen to play the lead opposite Raj Kapoor in Sapno Ka Saudagar[31] and promoted as Dream Girl.[31]

1970–1978 (Established actress)

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Malini played the lead in Johnny Mera Naam (1970). Roles in subsequent films like Andaz (1971) and Lal Patthar (1971)[31] established her as a leading actress. In 1972, she played a double role opposite Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar in Seeta Aur Geeta[32] which earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award for the film.[33] The list of successful films she starred include Sanyasi, Dharmatma and Pratigya, Sholay, Trishul to name a few.

Malini and Dharmendra, acted together in 28 films including Sharafat, Tum Haseen Main Jawan, Naya Zamana, Raja Jani, Seeta Aur Geeta, Patthar Aur Payal, Dost (1974), Sholay (1975), Charas, Jugnu, Azaad (1978) and Dillagi (1978).

Her chemistry with Rajesh Khanna was appreciated in Andaz and Prem Nagar. Their subsequent films like Mehbooba and Janta Hawaldar 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, Naseeb, Satte Pe Satta and Rajput, 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, Ramkali, Sitapur Ki Geeta, Ek Chadar Maili Si, Rihaee and Jamai Raja.[31]

During this period, her films with Dharmendra included Alibaba Aur 40 Chor, Baghavat, Samraat, Razia Sultan, Baghavat, and Raaj Tilak. She continued to be paired with Rajesh Khanna in movies like Dard, Bandish, Kudrat, Hum Dono, Rajput, Babu, Durgaa, Sitapur Ki Geeta and Paap Ka Ant, some of which were modest successes.

In the 1990s, she produced and directed the 1992 film Dil Aashna Hai, starring Divya Bharti and Shah Rukh Khan in the leading roles. She also produced and directed her second feature film Mohini (1995), starring her niece Madhoo and actor Sudesh Berry in the leading roles. She then focused on dancing and television work, only occasionally appearing in films.[31] In 1997, she acted in Vinod Khanna's production Himalay Putra.