How was the fate of the star of "Zita and Gita" Hema Malini: Life is like Indian cinema

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In the 1970s. Indian films in the USSR were incredibly popular. The absolute leader in the distribution of foreign films in 1976 was the melodrama "Zita and Gita", which was then watched by more than 55 million viewers. Bollywood star Hema Malini, one of the most famous Indian actresses in the world, played the main role in this film. Another film could be shot about her life behind the scenes, with the same famously twisted plot and love twists and turns, as in the most sentimental Indian melodrama.

The path of Hema Malini was predetermined from birth: she grew up in a wealthy and noble family, her mother was a film producer. Since childhood, Hema has been studying music, dancing and singing lessons, which for an actress in India is no less important than acting. At the age of 17, the girl made her film debut. After several cameo roles at a local film studio in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where she was born, Hema set off to conquer Bollywood.

Of course, at first she was helped by her mother, who took an active part in the formation of her film career. But she had to achieve fame on her own. She was lucky enough to star in the movie Dream Seller with Bollywood star Raj Kapoor, after which the directors bombarded the debutante with new proposals. At the age of 24, Hema Malini got the opportunity to play the twin sisters in the melodrama Zita and Gita. This work allowed her to reveal new facets of talent: her heroines are very similar in appearance, but completely different in character and upbringing. Zita and Gita even had different facial expressions and plastic, and the audience did not even suspect that both heroines were played by the same actress!

Four years after the premiere in India, Zita and Gita was shown in the USSR, where the film was expected to be even more successful than at home. The audience enthusiastically watched the intricacies of the plot lines of the melodrama, not knowing that the main love dramas were unfolding behind the scenes. In this film, Hema Malini starred with her fiancé, actor Sanjeev Kumar, who played Dr. Ravi, Gita's lover.

The actress's parents approved of her daughter's choice - Sanjeev was one of the most sought-after and highly paid actors in India and seemed to them a worthy party for a girl from a wealthy and noble family. But they advised Hema not to rush to the wedding, while she was in demand in the cinema. The fact is that in Bollywood most of all roles are offered either to very young girls playing romantic heroines, or to mature ladies playing the roles of aunts and mothers. Therefore, leaving the age of the heroine, the actress can devote herself to her husband and children.

The role of the rude Raki, caring for Zita, was played by another famous Indian actor - Dharam Singh Deol, known under the pseudonym Dharmendra. He was 13 years older than Hema, he could not be called handsome, he was in many ways inferior to her fiance, and besides, he was married and raised four children, but none of this became an obstacle for the feelings that flared up between Hema and Dharmendra.

After that, they starred together in several more films. On the screens, they often portrayed a couple in love, and these feelings went beyond the set. Hema Malini broke off her engagement and was ready to become Dharmendra's second wife. But in this case, the laws of India did not allow either polygamy or divorce - he could marry a second time only after becoming a widower. For 8 years, lovers have been looking for ways to legitimize their relationship. Later Dharmendra said: "".

The actress's father was furious when he found out about his daughter's affair with a married man - it was a shame for their family. And Hema said: "".

They wrote about their romance in all the newspapers. To save their daughter from gossip, her parents wanted to marry her off to Jitendra, another promising Indian actor. But when the groom came to woo, he got a turn from the gate. At the same time, the audience fully supported Hema Malini and Dharmendra - after all, their love was the same as in the movies.

Only in 1980, after her father passed away, the actress was able to reunite with her chosen one. Somehow he finally managed to convince the brahmana council to allow him to marry a second time. At the same time, he did not divorce his first wife. Despite this, Hema was happy. She said: "".

In the 1990s. in her destiny again there was a sharp turn. Due to her age, Hema could no longer play young heroines in the cinema. And then she found a way out by launching serials in production, where she herself acted as an actress, producer and director. In these series, there were no traditional heroes and villains, and the plot was close to modern life, which the audience liked so much that Hema Malini soon had followers. And in 1999, the actress took part in the election campaign of her colleague, who decided to be elected to parliament. Since then, Hema Malini has taken up politics. In the early 2000s. she herself participated in the elections to the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. Thanks to her popular fame, the actress became an influential member of the Indian People's Party and won the parliamentary elections in 2014.

Heme Malini is now 71 years old. She has not acted in films for more than 10 years, but her two daughters with Dharmendra continued the acting dynasty. Together with them, Hema takes part in charity events. In addition, she teaches traditional dances. Together with her husband, they sit in the Upper House of Parliament. She still looks like a real star, she can hardly be given more than 50 years.

When asked which of her two most famous film heroines she looks more like - Zita or Gita, Hema replies: "".

Unfortunately, the fate of Hema Malini's colleague was not so successful: Manorama - the evil aunt of Zita and Gita, who remained beyond the line of life.