Hema Malini
Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an acclaimed Indian actress, filmmaker, and politician. A prominent parliamentarian, she has represented the Mathura constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014. Earlier, she served in the Rajya Sabha, first as a nominated member from 2003 to 2009 and subsequently representing Karnataka from 2011 to 2012. She was also one of the key actors comprising the stellar cast of one of India's most celebrated action-adventure films Sholay (1975). Born into a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family in Ammankudi, Madras Province, Malini was educated in Chennai before leaving school after Matriculation to pursue acting. She met actor Dharmendra during a film premiere, and the two married on 2 May 1980. They have two daughters, Esha and Ahana. Dharmendra passed away on 24 November 2025 at the age of 89. Celebrated as one of mainstream Hindi cinema's most successful leading actresses, Malini has excelled in both comedic and dramatic roles. She made her screen debut in the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam (1963), followed by minor appearances in Pandava Vanavasam (1965). Her breakthrough came in 1968 when she starred opposite Raj Kapoor in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), earning the moniker Dream Girl, a title later echoed in her 1977 film of the same name. Hema Malini won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her dual performance in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and received multiple nominations thereafter, including for Baghban (2003). Her long-standing contribution to cinema has been recognised with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) and a special honour in 2019. In 2000, the Government of India conferred on her the Padma Shri. She later received an honorary doctorate from Sir Padampat Singhania University and several cultural awards, including the SaMaPa Vitasta Award and the NTR National Award. Beyond cinema, Hema Malini has served as chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation and has been actively involved in philanthropy. A trained Bharatanatyam exponent, Malini has also studied Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam; she has performed widely with her daughters. She remains an outspoken advocate for animal rights, frequently collaborating with PETA India, which named her Person of the Year in 2011.
Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an acclaimed Indian actress, filmmaker, and politician. A prominent parliamentarian, she has represented the Mathura constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014. Earlier, she served in the Rajya Sabha, first as a nominated member from 2003 to 2009 and subsequently representing Karnataka from 2011 to 2012. She was also one of the key actors comprising the stellar cast of one of India's most celebrated action-adventure films Sholay (1975). Born into a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family in Ammankudi, Madras Province, Malini was educated in Chennai before leaving school after Matriculation to pursue acting. She met actor Dharmendra during a film premiere, and the two married on 2 May 1980. They have two daughters, Esha and Ahana. Dharmendra passed away on 24 November 2025 at the age of 89. Celebrated as one of mainstream Hindi cinema's most successful leading actresses, Malini has excelled in both comedic and dramatic roles. She made her screen debut in the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam (1963), followed by minor appearances in Pandava Vanavasam (1965). Her breakthrough came in 1968 when she starred opposite Raj Kapoor in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), earning the moniker Dream Girl, a title later echoed in her 1977 film of the same name. Hema Malini won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her dual performance in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and received multiple nominations thereafter, including for Baghban (2003). Her long-standing contribution to cinema has been recognised with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) and a special honour in 2019. In 2000, the Government of India conferred on her the Padma Shri. She later received an honorary doctorate from Sir Padampat Singhania University and several cultural awards, including the SaMaPa Vitasta Award and the NTR National Award. Beyond cinema, Hema Malini has served as chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation and has been actively involved in philanthropy. A trained Bharatanatyam exponent, Malini has also studied Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam; she has performed widely with her daughters. She remains an outspoken advocate for animal rights, frequently collaborating with PETA India, which named her Person of the Year in 2011.
Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an acclaimed Indian actress, filmmaker, and politician. A prominent parliamentarian, she has represented the Mathura constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014. Earlier, she served in the Rajya Sabha, first as a nominated member from 2003 to 2009 and subsequently representing Karnataka from 2011 to 2012. She was also one of the key actors comprising the stellar cast of one of India's most celebrated action-adventure films Sholay (1975).
Born into a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family in Ammankudi, Madras Province, Malini was educated in Chennai before leaving school after Matriculation to pursue acting. She met actor Dharmendra during a film premiere, and the two married on 2 May 1980. They have two daughters, Esha and Ahana. Dharmendra passed away on 24 November 2025 at the age of 89.
Celebrated as one of mainstream Hindi cinema's most successful leading actresses, Malini has excelled in both comedic and dramatic roles. She made her screen debut in the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam (1963), followed by minor appearances in Pandava Vanavasam (1965). Her breakthrough came in 1968 when she starred opposite Raj Kapoor in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), earning the moniker Dream Girl, a title later echoed in her 1977 film of the same name.
Hema Malini won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her dual performance in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and received multiple nominations thereafter, including for Baghban (2003). Her long-standing contribution to cinema has been recognised with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2000) and a special honour in 2019. In 2000, the Government of India conferred on her the Padma Shri. She later received an honorary doctorate from Sir Padampat Singhania University and several cultural awards, including the SaMaPa Vitasta Award and the NTR National Award. Beyond cinema, Hema Malini has served as chairperson of the
National Film Development Corporation and has been actively involved in philanthropy.
A trained Bharatanatyam exponent, Malini has also studied Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam; she has performed widely with her daughters. She remains an outspoken advocate for animal rights, frequently collaborating with PETA India, which named her Person of the Year in 2011.
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