Hema Malini

Hema Chakravarthy, better known as Hema Malini was born on October 16, 1948, in Ammankudi, Tamil Nadu, and hails from a Tamil-speaking family. Her father, V.S.R. Chakravarthy, and mother, Jaya, a film producer, raised her. She was educated at the Andhra Mahila Sabha in Chennai.

Although initially rejected by Tamil director C.V. Sridhar for being too thin, Hema's persistence led her to make her debut as a supporting actor in the 1963 Tamil film 'Idhu Sathiyam.' She later debuted opposite Raj Kapoor in 'Sapnon Ka Saudagar,' despite facing setbacks initially.

Her career soared thereafter, starring in nearly 155 films, producing and directing two movies, and helming the TV serial 'Noopur.' Notably, she enjoyed successful on-screen partnerships with Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, and Dev Anand in the 70s, followed by a string of hits opposite Rajesh Khanna from 1980 to 1987.

Her pairing with Dharmendra resulted in 31 romantic lead roles in 35 films, with 20 hits and 15 flops. Similarly, her collaboration with Rajesh Khanna yielded 10 hits. Despite being known as the "Dream Girl," Hema continues to grace the silver screen as of 2013.

Hema Malini ventured into politics by becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper House of parliament, as a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2014, she was elected for the first time to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament. She was re-elected from the Mathura constituency in the 17th Lok Sabha elections. The ruling party, noticing her power to gain votes has again nominated her from the same seat in the 2024 general elections.

She is animals advocate and is a supporter of PETA India. In 2009, she corresponded with the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, expressing her strong recommendation for the prohibition of horse carriages. Furthermore, in 2011, she directed a letter to Jairam Ramesh, the then Union Minister for Environment and Forests, advocating for the prohibition of Jallikattu, a form of bullfighting.

On a personal front, Hema Malini declined marriage proposals from fellow actors Sanjeev Kumar and Jeetendra, she found herself drawn to Dharmendra, a prominent figure in the Indian film industry. However, Dharmendra was already wedded to Prakash Kaur with two sons, Sunny and Bobby, and faced legal constraints preventing him from marrying again as long as his first wife remained alive, as per the Hindu Marriage Act.

Nevertheless, on August 21, 1979, a significant turn of events took place. Both Hema and Dharmendra converted to Islam, assuming the names Aisha Bi R. Chakravarty and Dilawar Khan Kewal Krishn respectively. Following Islamic rites, they tied the knot, transcending the legal hindrances they previously encountered.

Their union bore fruit, as three years following their marriage, Hema gave birth to their first daughter, Esha, followed later by their second daughter, Ahana.

Interestingly, she was more interested in dancing than in acting at the beginning of her career. She is even a professional Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer. Moreover, she has imparted Bharatnatyam training to her daughters and frequently participates in events alongside them.

In the upcoming Lok Sabha second phase elections, Hema Malini stands out as one of the financially affluent candidates. Her declared assets surpass Rs 278 crore, positioning her as the third wealthiest candidate in this phase.