Meet Hema Malini's cousin and actress who is also connected with Juhi Chawla through.., her name is...
In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, having connections and relations in the industry holds utmost importance. From opening more doors to garnering more spotlight, ties in this industry can help in many ways. One such similar tale is of a Bollywood actress who garnered a lot of love and attention from her iconic role in 1992. She recently spoke about her relationship with a legendary actress who brought her dignity and respect in this rather harsh industry.
The people in the picture are none other than Roja Star Madhoo and her cousin, also celebrated actress Hema Malini. Who is Madhoo?
Madhoo is famously known for her role in Mani Ratnam's Roja. She was born on 26 March 1969 as Madhubala Malini in Chennai (then Madras), Tamil Nadu. She ventured into the film industry in the year 1991 with her film Phool Aur Kaante. While she delivered some good films in her career, like Phool Aur Kaante Yeshwant, Pehchaan, Diljale, it was Mani Ratnam's Roja that rose her to fame. How is Madhoo related to Hema Malini and Juhi Chawla?
Recently, in an interview, Madhoo revealed that, being Hema Malini's cousin, she earned respect and access in an otherwise challenging industry. Madhoo was born in an artistic family. Her cousin, also known as the dream girl of Bollywood, was a reigning queen of Hindi cinema and a symbol of grace and discipline. 'I am Hema ji's cousin, and Juhi ji, my sister-in-law, is married to my husband's cousin. We are a family of actors. But Juhi ji came into my life much later as a family member, only after I got married. And when I got married, I had kind of left the industry. So her being in the family, emotionally, or mentally, or physically, did not affect me. But I, coming from Hema ji's family, had an impact and only a good impact. The thing is, coming from the home of an artist of Hema ji's stature gave me a lot of dignity.' She said. How Madhoo's Ties With Hema Malini Helped Her?
Madhoo also revealed that her association with Hema Malini didn't translate into garnering stardom or a superhit film, but it did help her get an identity and attention. 'So I carried that kind of dignity, some kind of respect. It did not give me a movie, it did not give me a hit, it did not give me appreciation, even, but it gave me access and respect. If I went to somebody's office, I was treated with respect. So that much respect I got because I came from Hema ji's home.' She said.
Madhoo also shared how some budding actresses have to go through unpleasant experiences because they have no ties in this industry, but she was lucky since her father was a producer and her cousin was Hema Malini. 'Many girls have difficult experiences while starting out, but I was spared. My father was a producer, and I was Hema ji's cousin — so people treated me with respect.' She said. Madhoo on Typecasting
Earlier in an interview, she felt limited by the typecasting of heroines in the '90s. We had a few romantic scenes, some songs, but very few meaningful roles. Toward the end, I felt I wanted to do more, but the opportunities weren't coming.' Madhoo's Personal Life, Her Work Now, and More
After marrying film producer Amit Kapoor in 1999, Madhoo stepped away from films. Juhi Chawla, another leading actress, became her relative through marriage, but Madhoo emphasised that Juhi entered her life after her film career had slowed down. Madhoo had also appeared in TV shows like Aarambh and Kumkum Bhagya. She also portrayed the role of Komolika's mother in Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2. She also had her stint in OTT series like Damaged 3 and Aadha Ishq.
Madhoo last appeared in the Telugu action film Eagle (2024) opposite Ravi Teja.
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