A dream in motion

FOR MILLIONS of Indian men she was the ultimate ‘dream girl’. The kind of woman a man wanted to take home to his mother.
That a Tamilian Brahmin from the deep South with a bewitching mix of talent and innocence could hypnotise an entire country was unthinkable.
But such was the stuff Hema Malini was made of.
The ‘dream’ might not have materialised the way she envisioned it.
In an exclusive chat with City Times from her home in Mumbai, prior to her performance in Dubai, Hema Malini chats about her passion for dancing.
“I feel really honoured to be a part of the Independence Day Celebrations in Dubai,” said Hema Malini who will be performing the dance ballet Parampara, along with her daughters Esha and Ahana.
“I will be doing a patriotic number on the glory of Indian woman.”
So how difficult is it to get her daughters involved in her dance programme, considering that Esha must be busy with her Bollywood films?
“My mother was able to make me do it, but these girls are so cool about it and won’t rehearse till the last moment!,” she states.
Dubai residents can look forward to a truly memorable performance as mother and daughters come together to perform a jugalbandi.
The dance ballet Parampara was conceived by Hema Malini and choreographed by her brother Chakravorthy. The trio have performed the routine at various venues across India.
All in the family
Hema Malini is probably one of those rare breed of Bollywood mothers who have been able to inculcate a classical tradition in her children. Both Esha and Ahana have undergone formal training in Odissi.
“From the time they were born, they have seen me perform. In fact I used to dance even while I was pregnant. So it was natural that they would pick up this art. If they hadn’t done it, then it would have been unusual. Like Abimanyu who learnt the chakravyuh while in his mother’s womb, so children automatically pick up skills from their parents,” Hema elaborates.
Woman to woman
The actress might not be courting the media to espouse her social causes like many others in Bollywood, but there is no denying that she is doing her part in her own way.
Through her dance progammes not only does she reflect the glory of the Indian woman but also uses her art to speak up and against the problems faced by women in India – one of which is female foeticide.
For a traditional Indian woman, Hema Malini has led a fairly unusual life. So does the actress harbour any feelings of regret over her past? “Maybe. But this is how I am destined to be, so there is no reason to compare with someone else.”
She continues, “I do feel sometimes that maybe it is a mistake, but when I look around, I feel I am much luckier because I have the best of both the worlds in my life.”
Dreams of her own
So what dreams does the original dream girl have for her daughters? “Like any normal mother, I want Esha to find a nice boy,”
says Hema. And before you finish asking her the question she replies, “There is no eligible bachelor in Bollywood. So I don’t think she should look there. (A hint for Esha perhaps?) But what is most important is that she should marry at the right time.”
Finally, she has appeared in many people’s dream, but who is it that comes to her dreams? To be frank we were expecting the name of Dharmji, but the lady really flummoxed us with her quick retort, “Aishwarya.” And pray why the Bachchan bahu? “She is a very beautiful woman.
I don’t know how she is in her personal life. But I believe that unless you are good from inside, the beauty will not show on your face.”