Hema Malini is an Indian actress, dancer, writer, director, producer, and politician. She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Malini made her acting debut in 1963 with the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam.

Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an Indian actress, dancer, writer, director, producer, and politician.[3] She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Malini made her acting debut in 1963 with the Tamil film Idhu Sathiyam.[4] Malini first acted in a lead role in Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968), and went on to feature in numerous Hindi films, frequently opposite Dharmendra, whom she married in 1980.[5] Malini was initially promoted as the “Dream Girl”, and in 1977 starred in a film of the same name.[5] Known for starring in both comic and dramatic roles, she was among the most successful leading actresses of mainstream Hindi cinema.[6][7][8][9]

During her career, she received eleven nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, winning the award in 1973.[10] In 2000, Malini won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2019 Filmfare Special Award for 50 Years of Outstanding Contribution to Cinema.[11] She is also honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour awarded by the Government of India.[12] In 2012, the Sir Padampat Singhania University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on Malini in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema.[13] Malini served as chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation. In 2006, Malini received the Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts (SaMaPa) Vitasta award from Bhajan Sopori in Delhi for her contribution and service to Indian culture and dance. In 2013, she received the NTR National Award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for her contribution to Indian cinema.[14]

From 2003 to 2009, Malini was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper House of parliament, as a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[15] In 2014, Malini was elected to the Lok Sabha. Malini has been involved with charitable and social ventures. Currently, Malini is also a life member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).[16]Malini was born in a Tamil Iyengar[17] Brahmin family to Jaya Lakshmi and VSR Chakravarti Iyengar in Srirangam.[18][19] She attended the Andhra Mahila Sabha in Chennai where her favourite subject was history.[20] She studied at DTEA Mandir Marg until the 11th Standard after which she pursued her acting career.[21]

Her first film with Dharmendra was Tum Haseen Main Jawaan (1970).[22] The two got married in 1980.[23][24] Dharmendra was already married at the time. Dharmendra already had two sons and two daughters with his first wife, two of whom later became Bollywood actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Malini and Dharmendra have two children, Esha Deol (born 1981)[25] and Ahana Deol (born 1985).[26][27][28]

Madhoo Raghunath, who played the female lead in Phool Aur Kaante, Roja and Annayya, is Malini’s niece.

On 11 June 2015, Hema Malini became grandmother when her younger daughter Ahana Deol gave birth to her first child, Darien Vohra. On 20 October 2017, she became grandmother for the second time when her elder daughter, Esha Deol Takhtani gave birth to a girl, Radhya Takhtani. In 1999, Malini campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Vinod Khanna, a former Bollywood actor, in the Lok Sabha Elections in Gurdaspur, Punjab. In February 2004, Malini officially joined the BJP.[36] From 2003 to 2009, she served as an MP to the upper house – the Rajya Sabha, having been nominated by the then President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In March 2010, Malini was made general secretary of the BJP, and in February 2011, she was recommended by Ananth Kumar, the party general secretary.[37] In the 2014 general elections for the Lok Sabha, Malini defeated the Mathura incumbent, Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) by 3,30,743 votes.[38][39] Malini was then elected to the Lok Sabha.[36][37]

Association with social causes
Malini is a supporter of the animal rights organisation, PETA India. In 2009, she wrote a letter to the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner urging him to ban horse carriages from Mumbai’s busy streets.[40] In 2011, she wrote to the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, urging him to ban bull fighting (jallikattu).[41] She said, “My friends at PETA have organised investigations at jallikattu events and documented that bulls are pulled roughly by their nose rings, punched, pummelled, hit with sharp sticks and crammed into trucks so tightly that they can barely move”.[42] PETA named Malini their “PETA Person of the Year” for 2011.[43] As a vegetarian, she said, “Knowing that my food choices are helping the planet and animals too, makes me happy