Hema Malini is turning 74 tomorrow and taking time out from her hectic schedule, the dream girl spoke to ETimes. She shared her beauty secrets and how he passion for dancing has allowed her to defy her age. Not just that, Hemaji also reveals her desire to work with Dharmendra again and cites Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep’s The Bridges Of Madison County as inspiration. All that and more in this exclusive chat. Read on…
It’s your 74th birthday tomorrow, but you have still retained your good looks.
Kya karoon. I can’t help it (laughs). But I think it’s your affection for me that makes you say this.

You are a wife, mother, grandmother, actress politician… how do you manage to play all these roles? It requires a lot of serious time management and juggling skills. Bahot adjustment karna padta hai. Suddenly if I am called to my constituency, I am not always able to rush there, I have to remind my constituency of my other duties. Sometimes when I can’t go (to Mathura) it is because my daughters are out of Mumbai and I have to look after my grandchildren. But when I am in Mathura I am all there. Then there’s my dance practice, too.

Is that what keeps you so fit?
Yes there is no better form of exercise for me.

Do you do practice your dance every day?
Not every day. If there is a dance performance then I start practicing. Also there is this constant urge within me to do something new. I want to keep exploring new avenues.

Why don’t we see you in films anymore?
Because movie making nowadays involves huge finances. Even on the OTT platform, I don’t want to do anything unless I am offered something really remarkable.

Which among your films are your favourites?
They were all nice. But I like some of my scenes in every film rather than the films in totality. I liked Gulzar Saab’s Meera a lot. The other day I saw my film with Dharamji, Dillagi, which was directed by Basu Chatterjee. It was such a simple and sweet film. I looked so pretty in my cotton sarees and no make up. But of course, my most famous film is Sholay. I did a lot of films with Dharamji. But Sholay remains special.

Would you like to work with Dharamji again?
Why not? If someone offers us something like what Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood did in The Bridges Of Madison Country, then why not?

What’s the secret behind you aging so beautifully?

Dancing. Dancing has been my inspiration and it’s kept me in good heath. It keeps me physically toned. I would never allow myself to get careless about my physique. If I look fit it is because of my dancing.

Filmmakers have said that you didn’t need makeup while facing the camera.

That’s true. When I came on the sets with makeup they would tell me to wipe it off. I look at myself in these films and really like what I see.