Mumbai, June 9, 2026
Veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy shared what made Hema Malini outshine even the leading men of her time in movies such as “Seeta Aur Geeta” and “Sholay”.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Sippy said that Hema Malini’s onscreen charisma made these roles so memorable.
He was asked, “At a time when women-centric roles were not so common, you wrote ‘Seeta and Geeta’ and ‘Sholay’ for Hema Ji. She used to have powerful roles, despite strong male leads. What do you have to say about that?”
The filmmaker told IANS, “Why don’t we say that she was so good that she was able to overshadow them. The spark inside an artist reflects on the screen. She did a phenomenal job.”
Sippy spoke during a concert organised to commemorate 60 years of ‘Dream Girl’ Hema Malini. The amount raised during the event was donated to FWICE for the workers.
Previously, during a magazine cover launch commemorating 50 years of ‘Sholay’, Hema Malini told IANS that her mother had strongly objected to her dancing barefoot on scorching rocks during the peak of May’s intense heat.
Recalling the experience, she said, “My mother was so worried about me dancing on the rocks barefeet, especially considering the extreme heat.”
Revealing the harsh shooting conditions they had to overcome, she added, “The sand, the mud and especially the rocks were unbearably hot. Even stepping barefoot on the stones was very painful. My mother was worried and suggested that I wear a thin sole under my feet so that it wouldn’t hurt too much,” she shared.
“However, the idea didn’t last long,” said Hema. “Rameshji noticed it immediately and asked me to remove it. He explained that during the dance movements, it would be visible on screen, and that wouldn’t look right,” Hema Malini added.
For the unversed, “Sholay” completed 50 years of release last year, marking a huge milestone for the iconic entertainer.(Agency)
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