Hema Malini's mother wanted the actress to marry this actor, not Dharmendra, Jeetendra it didn't work out because.., he was..
Hema Malini's mother wanted the actress to marry this actor, not Dharmendra, Jeetendra it didn't work out because.., he was..
In the dazzling world of Bollywood, there are many tales of celebrities that mesmerise millions, but what happens behind the scenes when the curtain falls is more than what meets the eye. Sometimes, behind the scenes is more intriguing than how the love stories pan out on screen. One such story was of a legendary Bollywood actress from the golden era, Hema Malini. Today, Hema Malini celebrates beautiful years of togetherness with superstar Dharmendra. However, only a few know that before Dharmendra, there was a man who was almost selected for Hema Malini, not by fate but by her mother.
This actor wasn't Jeetendra or Dharmendra, but it was a famous actor and playwright, Girish Karnad. He was once the perfect husband candidate for Hema Malini, as judged by none other than her mother herself. His mother was impressed by Girish's cultured personality, intellect, and powerful artistic presence. Hema's mother had him in mind as the perfect son-in-law.
This lesser-known story emerged in a report in the 250th issue of the film magazine Mayapuri. As per the article, Hema's mother was so much in awe of Girish Karnad that she went one step ahead, she directed a film named Rangdeep in which both Hema Malini and Girish Karnad were featured as main characters. The motive behind the film was not merely cinematic—it was personal. It was her quiet effort to get them near each other so that something serious might develop between the duo.
But then, Hema Malini was already falling in love with Dharmendra, who was married. Interestingly, Jaya Bhaduri, an actress, also had a film project that did not come through around the same time. Hema never showed romantic interest in Girish Karnad despite her mother's schemes.
Hema's romance took more dramatic turns. She was engaged for a brief while to actor Jeetendra, and the wedding was almost set. But, in a traditional Bollywood-turn-of-events move, Dharmendra stepped in on the day of the engagement. He revealed his love for Hema, and she picked him over Jeetendra. Eventually, after persuading her family, Hema Malini married Dharmendra in 1980.
Meanwhile, Girish Karnad continued with his life and career. In 1981, he got married to Saraswathi Ganapathy. By this time, he was already a well-established name in Kannada as well as Hindi cinema. He acted in and wrote screenplays for strong films such as Utsav, Nishant, Manthan, Iqbal, Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Dor, and many more. He even made a notable appearance in the popular Doordarshan show Malgudi Days.
Born on 19th May 1938 in Maharashtra, Girish Karnad led a highly productive career in theatre and cinema, emerging as a cultural icon. He died in 2019 and left behind an unrivaled legacy of storytelling and intellect.
Even though Hema and Dharmendra are one of Bollywood's favorite couples, this forgotten remembrance of Girish Karnad shows us how family, fate, and individual decisions frequently produce the most surprising histories—ones we hardly ever get to see on the big screen.
Not Dharmendra, not Jeetendra, this was the actor who was almost selected as Hema Malini's husband by her mother, it didn't work out because.., he was..
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
17 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Abhishek Banerjee, Rana Daggubati react to row over Kamal Haasan's Kannada comment: ‘Same about Marathi-Bihari…'
Actor Kamal Haasan finds himself in the midst of a language row ahead of the release of his film Thug Life. The Mani Ratnam-directed film has been barred from release in Karnataka, with Kamal doubling down and not apologising for a statement he made on Kannada being born out of Tamil. Recently, the Karnataka HC slammed his statement and called him out for not apologising. In an interview with India Today, Rana Daggubati and Abhishek Banerjee, however, said this when asked about it. (Also Read: 'I thank the people of Tamil Nadu for supporting me': Kamal Haasan in 1st press meet after Kannada language row) When asked to comment on Kamal's language row, Rana questioned why actors are being looked up to for the way society lives instead of scholars or politicians. He said, 'Now, social media has become a place to make an opinion. Earlier, you didn't have that. Anything gets touchy and political quite quickly. If the media and the news, and people become smarter (and understand) that actors are not the ones to advocate for the way society lives - it will be a better place. I think you should look at scholars, politicians and learned men and women to lead a way into society.' His Rana Naidu co-star Abhishek also agreed with Rana and compared it to the Marathi-Bihari conflict in Maharashtra and said, 'When I came to Bombay many years back, I heard the same thing about the Marathi-Bihari and Kannada-Tamil conflict, which has been going on. I feel it's completely worthless and useless. People who don't have anything better to do, will just try and get attention while doing this.' He also stated that language is great when used to educate people and cultivate culture, rather than to cause divide. Thug Life will be released across the country on 5 June except for Karnataka. It remains to be seen if the move will affect its box office collections.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ram Gopal Varma claims South cinema thrived by remaking Amitabh Bachchan classics: 'Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, NT Rama Rao did remakes, became demigods'
Ram Gopal Varma reveals South Indian cinema's early reliance on remaking Amitabh Bachchan's Bollywood hits, which propelled stars like Rajinikanth to fame. While Bollywood directors were influenced by foreign cinema, the South focused on mass-appeal storytelling. Varma also recounts a producer's skepticism towards 'Pushpa: The Rise,' highlighting differing expectations in the industry. The Indian film industry is a complex tapestry of diverse languages, cultures, and storytelling styles. While Bollywood often dominates headlines, the Southern film industries have carved out their own powerful space, producing blockbuster hits and cultivating larger-than-life stars. Yet, beneath this success lies a shared history of inspiration, imitation, and adaptation that shaped both worlds. Legendary filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma sheds light on the fascinating journey of South Indian cinema, revealing how it once thrived by remaking iconic Bollywood films—particularly those starring Amitabh Bachchan—and how these influences continue to resonate today. In conversation with IndiaTV Showbiz, RGV recently observed that in the early days, all four South Indian film industries frequently remade Amitabh Bachchan 's popular films from the 1970s and 1980s. Major stars like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, NT Rama Rao, and Rajkumar rose to fame by starring in these remakes. In the 1990s, during Amitabh Bachchan's extended five-year hiatus, music companies began producing films primarily to promote their soundtracks—Maine Pyar Kiya being a notable example. Meanwhile, the South continued to churn out 'masala' films inspired by Bachchan's style, which helped cement their leading actors as demigods. According to Varma, this pattern of drawing from Bachchan's legacy persists even today. Varma also pointed out that young Bollywood directors of that era had greater exposure to foreign cinema, thanks to their English proficiency and urban upbringing. In contrast, he noted that many commercial filmmakers in the South were less exposed to global cinematic trends and tended to focus more on grassroots, mass-appeal storytelling. The filmmaker also recalled an incident involving an unnamed producer's reaction to the film Pushpa: The Rise, directed by Sukumar and starring Allu Arjun . A few days before the film's release, the producer reportedly expressed strong skepticism, predicting that audiences would reject the movie. His criticism was not aimed at the actor himself, but rather at the unconventional portrayal of the protagonist—someone chewing paan rather than the typical six-pack hero image. According to Varma, the producer's judgment was clouded by preconceived notions of what audiences expect, rather than the actual quality or content of the film. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Kamal Haasan thanks Tamil Nadu for standing by him amid Kannada language row; promises to respond in a press meet
Kamal Haasan expressed heartfelt thanks to the people of Tamil Nadu for standing by him during the backlash sparked by his recent remarks on the Kannada language. Although he avoided a direct response to the ongoing controversy, he assured that a detailed statement would follow shortly. Kamal Haasan's gratitude speech During a recent release event of 'Thug Life' in Chennai, Kamal was heard expressing his deep respect for his fans: 'I should thank the entire state of Tamil Nadu, which stood behind me. I completely understand the meaning of the phrase 'Uyire, Urave, Tamizhe (my life and family are Tamil)' that I use during public addresses. And I stand by it,' he said in Tamil. Kamal Haasan Faces Ban in Karnataka Over Kannada Language Row, Minister Demands Apology | Thug Life Kamal refused to address the language row Kamal refrained from delving into the language row following his remark that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil' during the event. He acknowledged that there were important matters beyond the film that needed to be addressed.'But this is not the stage for it. It is my duty to talk about those issues in a separate (press) meet, and I will organise it,' he added. Kamal also shared his deep admiration for director Mani Ratnam , calling 'Thug Life' a transformative experience. About the controversy The controversy began when Kamal Haasan stated that 'Kannada was born out of Tamil' during a promotional event for Thug Life. The statement drew sharp criticism from pro-Kannada organisations, and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) issued a statement declaring support for those demanding a ban on the film's release in Karnataka . Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 180k traders turn to IC Markets for optimum CFD trading conditions | Sign up today IC Markets Sign Up Undo They demanded an apology from Kamal to settle the issue and allow the film to be released in the state. However, the 'Nayakan' actor refused to apologise, stating that he had not said anything wrong. Kamal later approached the Karnataka High Court seeking protection for the film's release in the state. The court, however, criticised him and advised that he express regret over his comments. The matter has been adjourned to June 10. Thug Life is scheduled to hit theatres tomorrow (June 5). Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
