In an exclusive interview, veteran actress Hema Malini revealed why she rejected Raj Kapoor's "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" but agreed to do a bold film like "Rihaee".
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00:00 Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram, Raj Kapoorji came he asked me at the same time he himself is
00:07 saying but this is such a film and I don't think you will do it but I'm very keen that
00:13 you should do it but I know that you will not do it so my mother is also sitting and
00:18 saying yeah yeah she will not do all that.
00:20 That was a very sweet episode you know Raj sir himself came and.
00:28 It was also a film called Rihai which was so bold for its time.
00:35 How did you do that?
00:37 I mean how it was supposed to be Smitha Patil was supposed to have done that film but after
00:42 that it came to you yes and how did you do as in how did you agree to do it?
00:48 Because first thing I wanted to experience myself working under a female director that
00:53 was Aruna Raji and she was there to direct and then that story was very interesting I
00:58 liked doing that something different I wanted to do at that time like you know rural women
01:05 from Gujarat and all.
01:09 The story was very sweet and interesting and but it was very bold very very bold.
01:14 I mean you are a woman in the village.
01:19 But you were you always like this that you like challenges and you like doing different
01:23 yes of course yeah as an actor I think you should be able to take up anything is a challenge
01:29 for you.
01:30 Yeah was there any any particular film that you felt was very difficult to do any role
01:35 that you felt was very difficult to do?
01:37 No.
01:38 Nothing?
01:39 Once you get into it then I am able to do.
01:42 But because continuously you are working in different different characters you are doing
01:46 so anything coming you are able to accept it and do it because only the director has
01:51 to be very clear and he has to direct tell me what he wants and I will execute whatever
01:56 he needs.
01:58 I mean with the proper limitation not going overboard.
02:05 Nowadays films are made in a very very challenging.
02:09 I don't think I will ever fit into this kind of films.
02:13 Today's film.
02:14 No no I guess not.
02:15 But for your time even Rehai was beyond the boundary.
02:22 But that making was so nice and decent.
02:24 It was very decent.
02:25 Yeah very beautifully done.
02:26 There was one love scene with Nasir when Nasir was more tense than you were.
02:33 I don't know I don't remember also what we did.
02:36 Because he used to always feel that your Hemaji how can he get so close to you.
02:43 Everybody was scared of you and they respected you a lot.
02:50 They also feared you.
02:51 So nice.
02:52 Is that how it is in politics as well.
02:59 People know Hemaji.
03:00 Full respect they give me.
03:01 Very nice.
03:02 I was not knowing.
03:03 It's like a challenge again for me to go in getting into politics.
03:13 I was not knowing anything about politics and suddenly I'm jumping into that.
03:18 Jumping means you are pushed into that.
03:20 I said okay accept it again and then started.
03:26 You and you have worked with practically every hero every heroine also lots of heroines also.
03:33 You've done double also with Parveen and with so many people you have done.
03:37 You've never had a problem working with any co-star.
03:39 No no all were very nice.
03:41 Parveen Babi I had a very sweet relation.
03:43 We were very friendly.
03:45 Zeena Daman.
03:46 So we traveled together to Russia for Alibaba Chadi Store and then we were very friendly
03:53 with each other.
03:54 Rekha Kisad.
03:55 And who are the other girls with me.
03:59 But you have.
04:00 I've noticed.
04:01 Most of the films I was alone.
04:02 Very few films were together.
04:03 Rakhi.
04:04 With Rakhi I've done a few films.
04:05 Yes of course.
04:06 Iconic.
04:07 They were all very nice.
04:08 Nice girls.
04:09 They were all very sweet.
04:11 I used to feel very little hesitant in the beginning whether they will talk or not.
04:16 The same thing they used to feel.
04:18 And then once we started came together then everything was fine.
04:22 Reena Roy.
04:23 Reena.
04:24 Yeah.
04:25 You did Trishul also with so many.
04:27 Yeah Trishul with Shashi Kapoor.
04:29 I had all the best heroes.
04:31 Best of heroes.
04:32 Very good looking heroes.
04:33 I'll say.
04:34 When you were so young did you ever feel you're working with Raj Kapoor who's in his 40s.
04:40 Yeah.
04:41 Did you ever feel.
04:42 Yeah.
04:43 When they signed me only I used to say he is.
04:46 But they are giving me an opportunity to come and work with that great actor.
04:52 So that was more in my mind than thinking that he's got 40 years.
04:56 Why should I bother.
04:57 He's an actor.
04:58 That's right.
04:59 That's right.
05:00 I only see it as that.
05:01 That's right.
05:02 That character he suited very well.
05:03 He performed so nice.
05:05 And I was very scared and all in the beginning.
05:08 Actually it's my first film with him.
05:10 I had some very funny romantic scenes and all.
05:13 I used to find it very difficult then how my director helped me and come up with that
05:20 whole situation.
05:21 Mahesh Kaur.
05:22 Mahesh Kaur.
05:23 Yeah.
05:24 So he helped you to do those romantic scenes.
05:26 Yes.
05:27 Romantic scenes also.
05:28 And then he actually those days there was no film institute or anything where you can
05:32 go and learn acting.
05:34 Dance is the only thing which I learned.
05:36 So through dance whatever abhinaya I do.
05:38 So that how the director made me sit next to him and then he will keep on telling me
05:43 dekha yeh scene aisa hai.
05:44 So in dance how will you do it.
05:46 So same thing you are going to speak the dialogue and express it.
05:49 So use all these gestures, your eye movement, dance mein kaise karte hain sab karo.
05:54 So maybe in my first film my acting will be little over acting hoga.
05:59 But how he guided me to do it.
06:02 That is the only school.
06:03 That's.
06:04 That is the only teaching time you know.
06:05 I learned it that time.
06:06 That's right.
06:06 That's right.
06:07 Thank you.
06:08 Thank you.
06:08 Thank you.
06:09 [Music]