Actress Hema Malini recently celebrated 60 years in Indian cinema with a grand event, Hema Malini – Live in Concert, held at Mumbai’s iconic Shanmukhananda Hall. The evening marked the Dream Girl’s Diamond Jubilee in the film industry and brought together several veterans from the world of cinema and music. During the celebrations, Hema turned emotional as she remembered her late husband, legendary actor Dharmendra.
Reflecting on their decades-long journey together, Hema recalled his constant encouragement and the values he wanted the family to uphold. “Dharam Ji always used to tell me, ‘Never think that just because you’re doing fewer films, it’s the end of the road… Just keep going. It’s wonderful,'” she shared, adding that he always motivated her to continue dancing and creating. “He hamesha united rehne ko bolte the (he always told us to stay united). He wanted that all of us should be together.”
She further said, “When I was going on stage to receive the Padma Vibhushan for him, I felt as if he was standing behind me and saying, ‘Go, take this honour.’ His memories will always stay with me. What do I have to say about Mr. Dharam? I will keep talking about him all night; I have a lot to say about him.”
The evening featured a 15-piece live orchestra that recreated some of the most memorable songs from Hema Malini’s illustrious career. The veteran actress also took to the stage to share anecdotes from her iconic films, including Sholay and Seeta Aur Geeta, giving the audience a glimpse into the stories behind some of her most celebrated performances.
Several stalwarts from the film fraternity attended the event, including Jeetendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Rakesh Roshan, Ramesh Sippy, Subhash Ghai, Sanjay Khan, Javed Akhtar, Padmini Kolhapure, Poonam Dhillon and Vijayta Pandit.
The musical celebration also saw the presence of renowned playback singers Suresh Wadkar, Anu Malik, Sudesh Bhosle, Anup Jalota and Kavita Krishnamurti, among others. Union Cabinet Minister Kiren Rijiju attended the event as the chief guest, alongside Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar.
Also Read: Hema Malini Feels Dharmendra’s Warm Presence While Accepting Posthumous Padma Vibhushan: “Tears Welled Up”
