When a 16-year-old Hema Malini became Indian cinema’s ‘Dream Girl,’ and how she lived up to the title
Hema Malini is now recognized to many as the unique ‘Dream Woman’ who made her method into her followers’ hearts, slowly however certainly. However how did all of it start? In her authorised biography by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, titled Hema Malini: Past the Dream Woman, there’s an incident that particularly factors to the beginning of this time period. It occurred when Hema Malini made her cinema debut with the 1968 Raj Kapoor film Sapno Ka Saudagar.
This was the primary time anybody had referred to Hema Malini as ‘Dream Woman.’ Malini was to make her debut with a Tamil film, to be bankrolled by CV Sridhar. However issues didn’t fairly pan out, it was then that one other producer by the identify of B Ananthaswami discovered Hema Malini to be the proper match for the brand new Hindi film he was making with the Showman of Indian cinema, Raj Kapoor.
Hema Malini with Dharmendra on the units of the movie Chacha Bhatija. (Picture: Categorical Archive)
“They had been eager on casting a recent south Indian face who might dance nicely and match as much as the standing of Vijayanthimala,” Hema is quoted as saying. However nobody turns into a ‘dream woman’ in a single day. Doing that may not solely imply wanting a sure method, however speaking and sporting sure garments too that may match the picture. And Malini was solely 16 when she had stated sure to the challenge. From then on, her grooming started. From her costumes to her accent, the whole lot was polished. Her voice coaching was completed by none apart from the well-known anchor of All India Radio, Lakshmi Sharma.
Producer Ananthaswami additionally turned like a godfather determine to Hema Malini. And sure, he was the person who was accountable for giving Malini the tag that has now develop into synonymous together with her. Through the poster designing course of, it was Ananthaswami’s concept so as to add ‘Raj Kapoor’s Dream Woman’ underneath Hema Malini’s identify.
“After Sapno Ka Saudagar launched, the press and other people began calling me Dream Woman. I might see how the identify had caught on. Folks typically requested me if I made an effort to stay as much as the identify. I didn’t! The tag got here as a shock to me. I suppose my face and my character went nicely with the final picture of an Indian girl. Anyone might relate to my face – it’s a typical Indian face. Sure, the one factor I did do was by no means settle for roles that may embarrass or harm my household or my followers in any method. So, the identify caught. However these days I really feel embarrassed when folks name me Dream Woman. I’m hardly a lady anymore!” Hema Malini has stated within the biography Past the Dream Woman.
However some part of the aforementioned assertion is debatable. As a result of Hema Malini’s face was not relatable within the strictest sense of the time period. It was the sort of face folks needed to be round. It was beautiful in its magnificence, and her expertise as a bharatnatyam dancer positively added extra worth to her as a performer. And as she turned extra profitable, it was simple to see why varied distributors and producers thought having the prefix of ‘Dream Woman’ would convey their initiatives extra consideration.
Nevertheless it was in 1970, when Hema Malini made her look in Vijay and Dev Anand’s acclaimed Johny Mera Naam, that the actor’s star actually started to rise. Folks observed that she might stand shoulder to shoulder with somebody like Dev Anand and nonetheless maintain her personal. If Dev Anand might do comedy, so might his feminine lead. And what a mover she was! Every little thing added as much as make Hema Malini a fan favorite. After which two years later, in 1972, Hema Malini did a double function, thus actually proving how she had actually arrived. Seeta Aur Geeta, the place Hema could possibly be seen doing the double act of a sassy girl and a docile doe-eyed magnificence, gained over each the critics and the viewers. The Ramesh Sippy directorial absolutely represented the vary of Hema the performer, making her followers cry and chuckle in turns.
Sholay got here when Hema was already a star. Regardless of the starry and proficient forged, Hema was capable of carve a particular area of interest for herself within the blockbuster. Her chemistry with Dharmendra, the memorable music “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” and her steady chatter and connection together with her horse within the movie Dhanno has its separate fan base even at this time. By this time, the tag of Dream Woman had caught so firmly together with her that makers thought it might be nice to take advantage of it, and two years later, we noticed her within the movie tilted, sure, you guessed that proper, Dream Woman! From then on, Hema Malini went on to star in lots of massive movies, together with the likes of Trishul, Meera, Kranti, Satte Pe Satta, Naseeb, Razia Sultan, Baghban, Veer Zaara and Aarakshan. She was final seen within the 2020 launch Shimla Mirchi alongside Rajkummar Rao.
Hema Malini might really feel a bit odd about being known as a ‘Dream Woman’ at this time, as she herself had stated as soon as that she is now not a lady and subsequently that title rings a bit hole. However individuals who have beloved Hema Malini on-screen will at all times establish her as that, their perpetually Dream Woman.
