Happy birthday, Hema Malini: Her top films with Dharmendra
Indian cinema's Dream Girl, veteran actor Hema Malini, turned 75 on Monday (October 16). Malini, who has had a prolific acting career, worked in over two dozen films with Dharmendra, whom she married in 1980. They also have two daughters, namely Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. To celebrate her birthday, we have listed some of her most memorable works with Dharmendra.
'Sholay' (1975)
One of the most iconic films featuring Malini and Dharmendra together is Ramesh Sippy's 1975 blockbuster film Sholay. Also starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan, the movie initially received negative reviews. Eventually, it became a box-office hit thanks to positive word-of-mouth and also a cult classic over time. While Malini essayed Basanti's role, Dharmendra was paired opposite her as Veeru.
'Dream Girl' (1977)
Directed by Pramod Chakravorty, the 1977 film Dream Girl starred Malini alongside Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar, and Prem Chopra. She was roped in to play a young lady who works under five different aliases, namely Sapna, Champabai, Padma, Dream Girl, and Rajkumari, in order to run her home for the orphans. Both the film and its music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal were loved equally by the audiences.
'Seeta Aur Geeta' (1972)
Malini played the dual role of the titular identical twin sisters in Sippy's Seeta Aur Geeta, which was released in 1972. A comedy-drama written by Salim-Javed, the film was a commercial success, garnering critical acclaim for Malini's performance. She was cast opposite Dharmendra and Kumar, while Manorama played the antagonist in the movie. The film's music was composed by RD Burman.
'Dillagi' (1978)
The majority of Malini and Dharmendra's films together were released in the 1970s, and Dillagi is another fine example of the sizzling chemistry the two shared onscreen. Helmed by Basu Chatterjee, it revolves around the love story of two teachers, Swarn Kamal (Dharmendra) and Phoolrenu (Malini). They portrayed the roles of Sanskrit and Chemistry professors in a girls' college, respectively.
