Published By: Sayan Paul

Happy Birthday, Hema Malini: Did You Know The 'Sholay' Actress Directed SRK's First Film?

Interestingly, Hema Malini wasn't satisfied with SRK's first audition but decided to give him a second chance.

Think of Hema Malini, and her title, "Dream Girl", would come to your mind almost instantly. Well, she was, is, and will always remain the "girl of our dreams". Whether it's her timeless charm,magnetic screen presence, orstunning performances - she is incomparable in the truest sense of the term. And any discussion about mainstream Hindi cinema is incomplete without a mention of her.

Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini in ‘Baghban’

Born on October 16, 1948, Hema Malini is often referred to as one of Bollywood's finest actresses. During the 70s and 80s, she appeared in many of the highest-grossing films, pairing with lead actors like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, and Amitabh Bachchan. In all those action-packed films, her presence felt like breaths of fresh air that enthralled one and all. As critic Rachit Gupta put it, she "defined everything that the Dream Girl tag stood for. She could dance, act, emote with equal ease." Dinesh Raheja, on the other hand, wrote about her, "Hema was never in danger of being mistaken for a thespian. But for sheer screen presence, she was hard to beat."

Credit: dreamgirlhemamalini

Hema Malini is a legendary actress, with a filmography that comes second to none. However, what many do not know is that she has also directed as well as produced a couple of films. In fact, she gave Shah Rukh Khan, now hailed as the Badshah of Bollywood, his first break. Yes, that's even before 'Deewana'. Today, on Hema Ji's 76th birthday, let's travel down memory lane and learn about that.

Hema Malini Directed SRK's First Film, 'Dil Aashna Hai'

Shah Rukh Khan made his film debut in 1992 as the parallel lead in 'Deewana', co-starring Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharti. However, he actually had been doing several other films before that, all of which were released later.

Interestingly, the first film that SRK signed was 'Dil Aashna Hai', directed by none other than Hema Malini. In that film, he starred alongside an ensemble cast, including Divya Bharti, Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Dimple Kapadia, and Amrita Singh among others. His performance, especially his on-screen chemistry with Divya Bharti, received enormous praise from critics and audiences alike.

Credit: iamJustaLittleSRKian

Notably, besides 'Dil Aashna Hai', SRK also shot 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman', 'Chamatkar', 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa', and 'King Uncle' before 'Deewana'. Due to delays in all those films, 'Deewana' ended up releasing first at theatres, marking his debut in Bollywood.

First Impression... And The Initial Dissatisfaction

Speaking about her first impression of Shah Rukh Khan, Hema Ji shared in an interview with Lehren Retro, "He was very cute and sweet in 'Fauji', the TV serial. I used to watch that. That time, my script was getting ready. And for that character, I wanted somebody new. I said, ‘This boy is looking so nice, I want him only.'”

However, she was utterly dissatisfied with SRK's first audition for 'Dil Aashna Hai'. But she decided to give him another chance, which went quite well.

Credit: Film History Pics

As mentioned in her biography, 'Hema Malini: Beyond The Dream Girl': "Hema remembers how nervous Shah Rukh had been during that first meeting. Apparently, every question of hers was met with a breathless, incoherent reply! The first audition left her dissatisfied. Hema suggested they try again – this time with his hair gelled back and his colorful jacket replaced with a plain tee. The results were satisfactory but just to be doubly sure, Hema called Dharmendra over to come and meet the young actor. Dharam, it is believed, took a liking to the young man instantly.”

Notably, recalling that incident, SRK later shared in an interview, "I spoke too fast and I was not from a film background. But they gave me an opportunity. Who gets an opportunity in his life to sit across the Dream Girl, and she says, 'I like your nose, it's very aristocratic, and you got into my film because of that."

When Hema Malini's Guru Ma Predicted SRK's Superstardom

Hema Malini has time and again attributed her success to her Guru Ma. In that interview with Lehren Retro, she revealed that her Guru Ma had predicted SRK would become a massive star. In her words, "I said, ‘Ma, I’m making a film’. And she only gave the name Dil Aashna Hai. She said, ‘You’re getting a very big hero’. I didn’t understand, I told her we have a new hero. She said, ‘No, no, no, you’re getting a very big hero’. And he became big, no? She can see over the years, what is going to happen.”

"When she saw his photograph for the first time, she told me that Shah Rukh is a star and he will change the industry. Since then, I knew that something big was going to happen with my movie. The day he signed my film, the same week he had signed four other films, including 'Deewana, 'King Uncle', and 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'.

Notably, Hema Malini and Shah Rukh Khan have co-starred in films like 'Hey Ram' and 'Veer Zara'.

Happy Birthday, Hema Ji. Thanks For All The Amazing Films!