For decades, Bollywood folklore has insisted that Dharmendra converted to Islam in order to marry Hema Malini. When confronted with this persistent rumour in a past interview, the actress sliced through the speculation with the directness that has defined her career. “It’s absolutely wrong,” Malini stated, adding with finality, “He didn’t do that, let me make it clear.” There was no lengthy explanation, just the unwavering calm of a woman who has consistently lived life on her own terms.
A Career Defined by Composure
That self-possessed composure has been a hallmark of Hema Malini’s public life, from her 1968 debut in Sapnon Ka Saudagar to her later chapters in politics and art. She belongs to an old-school star ecosystem where craft did the heavy lifting, long before the era of social media teams and digital publicists.
During an encounter at a Malabar Gold event in Dubai in 2018, she arrived without an entourage. She did her own make-up and, needing help with the buttons on her blouse, simply asked the journalist interviewing her for assistance. Unbothered by the minor wardrobe issue, she laughed it off, saying, “That will do. Everyone will look at my face, right?”
From ‘Dream Girl’ to Enduring Icon
The “Dream Girl” tag, originally a marketing concept for her first film, became a prophetic descriptor of her career. With over 150 films spanning four decades, Malini is one of the few actresses of her generation who continued to secure leading roles long after her peers had retired. While many contemporaries were relegated to supporting parts, Malini starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the 2003 hit Baghban, playing a woman navigating love and dignity in her later years.
Even then, she was hesitant to accept the role. “At the time of Baghban, even though my children were all grown up, I was very hesitant to take it up,” she admitted. It was her mother who urged her to do the film, a decision that led to one of Indian cinema’s most memorable screen romances about ageing.
Discipline, Dance, and Destiny
Malini attributes her longevity to discipline rather than nostalgia. Her dedication to classical dance was a professional anchor, keeping her physically sharp and connected to audiences through global tours with her daughters, Esha and Ahana. “Maybe that’s why I survived for so long,” she reflected. While others from her era stopped working, she never stopped performing.
A subtle twist of fate also played a crucial role in her journey. Early in her career, the Tamil Nadu-born actress was rejected for a South Indian film for being “too slim.” She now sees that rejection as a pivotal moment. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here,” she said. “I would have just vanished and my whole story would have been over.”
Personal Choices and Public Myths
Her most analysed choice, however, was personal. The romance with the already-married Dharmendra became one of Bollywood’s great love stories, shrouded in rumours of secret ceremonies and religious conversions. Malini dismisses the mythology with characteristic pragmatism. “I don’t know why people keep saying that,” she said of the conversion story. She maintains that her life is an open book with nothing to hide.
This frankness extends to her professional relationships, including the accusation that she orchestrated her daughter Esha’s career. “Not at all,” she laughed. “If I was, I would have done it better.” It is a brutally honest statement from a woman who has outlasted box-office trends, gossip cycles, and cultural judgement by simply being herself.
