Published By: Sayan Paul

Hema Malini's Birthday Special: The Actress Was 'Dropped' From Her First Film; Know Why

Hema Malini's debut film was 'IdhuSathiyam' (1963). However, she was actually supposed to make her debut with a film by CV Shridhar.

Hema Malini's insane range as an actress is something one can only dream of. Well, she is the same actress who played the free-spirited Basanti in 'Sholay', the braveheart Sheetal in 'Andaz', and also the strong and confident Pooja Malhotra in 'Baghban'. And her performance in each role is so effortless that it stays with us forever, leaving us wanting more.

Having said that, it's important to note that Hema Malini's legacy goes far beyond her roles. She is the Dream Girl of Bollywood, who has been reigning in the hearts of one and all for decades. During the 1970s and 1980s, and also in the 1990s, she dominated the silver screen as the National Crush (long before the term became cool). Whether it's her unbelievable beauty, her phenomenal style and fashion, or her unparalleled dance moves - she stood tall as a force to be reckoned with. Regardless of the film,people were so enthralled by her that they flocked to theatres just to see her on the screen.

Credit: Film History Pics

The legendary actress, as critic Rajeev Masand put it, is the "radiant superstar". And her craze remains intact today, although she is currently not that active in showbiz. On the occasion of her 76th birthday, we share an interesting fact about her that you probably didn't know.

Hema Malini Was Dropped From Her Debut Film

I know it sounds surprising; shocking, in fact. But yes, Hema Malini, the celebrated actress, was rejected by a filmmaker "for not being good enough".

Growing up in Chennai, Hema Ji used to participate in many classical dance shows. Film producers at that time used to attend those shows to cast good-looking girls for their films.

Tamil director CV Sridhar discovered her and signed her for a project (reportedly titled 'Veniradai'). The film was also supposed to feature Jayalalithaa. And he even changed her name to Sujata.

Credit: Film History Pics

It was supposed to be Hema Ji's debut film. However, after a few days of shooting, she was removed unexpectedly for "not being good enough". The role was eventually portrayed by Venidradai Nirmala.

Speaking about the same, the actress-turned-politician later shared in an interview, "At that time, a lot of classical dance shows used to happen in Chennai, and a lot of producers used to attend those shows to find a good-looking girl. So, he (CV Shridhar) saw me and then he signed. Very reluctantly, my mother and I agreed. And then he rejected me, so it was a little shock to me."

Hema Malini and Dharmendra in a still from ‘Sholay’

"After shooting for four days, he rejected me like a hot potato. He didn't find me good enough for his film. Jayalalithaa was there, and I was there in that film. But that gave me a big jolt. I was shocked that he saw my dance shows and came to me himself."

... But That Rejection Helped Her Grow

Sometimes, rejection is good, as it helps motivate you to push yourself harder. For Hema Malini, that rejection by Shridhar did exactly the same. In her words, "... it’s good that it happened because that gave me the push that I have to make it, I have to show now. He rejected me, how dare he. So, I took it as a challenge and wanted to do my best."

She made her debut in 1963 with the Tamil film 'IdhuSathiyam', directed by K. Shankar. And her first leading role came in 1968 with the Hindi film, 'Sapno Ka Saudagar', co-starring Raj Kapoor, Tanuja, and Nadira. The rest, as they say, is history!

Credit: Film History Pics

It's worth noting that Hema Ji later worked with Shridhar in the 1973 film 'Gehri Chaal'. As she later recalled, "... But I never even mentioned that you had rejected me after taking me in a film. We never spoke about that."

Well, the actress who was once dropped from her debut film is now hailed as one of Bollywood's finest actresses of all time. And her remarkable journey reminds us that we shouldn't hold onto setbacks. Rather, we must push ourselves harder, and turn that failure into success.