Veteran actor Hema Malini has said Deepika Padukone would be a suitable choice to portray her in a biopic, saying the actor is “beautiful” and “talented”. The remark came as the legendary star celebrated six decades in Indian cinema.
According to The Telegraph India, Malini made the comment while attending “Hema Malini – Live in Concert: Celebrating the Dream Girl’s Diamond Jubilee – 60 Glorious Years in Cinema”, held at Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Hall on Friday evening. Asked whether Deepika could play her on screen, the 77-year-old replied without hesitation: “If she wants, she can do it. Anybody can do it and anyone can do it. Deepika is a beautiful, talented girl.”
The charity concert celebrated Malini’s landmark career with a 15-piece live orchestra performing songs from some of her most memorable films, including Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Satte Pe Satta, Khushboo, Naseeb and Baghban.
Reflecting on her 60-year journey, Malini said she felt “blessed” and “proud”, and thanked filmmakers, co-stars, technicians and her family for supporting her throughout her career.
She paid a special tribute to her late mother, saying she played a crucial role in shaping her life. “I’m thankful to my mother, she stood by me. I believe mothers play an important role in the life and career of their children. My family was with me, and that is why I was able to grow,” she said.
Malini said she was proud to belong to an industry that had produced generations of stars. She noted that she had appeared in nearly 200 films and worked with numerous directors and actors over the decades.
She also highlighted the contributions of costume designers, make-up artists, cinematographers and other technicians. “They worked with so much love and dedication in all my films. It is because of their contribution that I looked the way I did on screen,” she said.
The actor, who also directed Dil Aashna Hai (1992) and Tell Me O Kkhuda (2011), said the film industry offers opportunities to everyone, provided they possess talent and dedication.
The evening featured performances by Sudesh Bhosle, Suresh Wadkar, Padmini Kolhapure, Shabbir Kumar, Anu Malik, Anup Jalota, Kavita Krishnamurti, Vijeta Pandit and Purnima Shrestha, who recreated several of Malini’s iconic songs, including Meri Makhna Meri Soniye, Hori Khele Raghuveera and Ek Na Ek Din Ye Kahani Banegi. Malini thanked the singers and said she felt fortunate to receive their tribute.
Many of her colleagues attended the event, including Madhoo, Poonam Dhillon, Rakesh Roshan, Shatrughan Sinha, Jeetendra, Ramesh Sippy, Kiran Juneja, Babul Supriyo and Sanjeev Gupta. Malini said her elder daughter Esha Deol could not attend because she was recovering from a viral infection.
Director Ramesh Sippy, who worked with Malini on films such as Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Andaz and Shimla Mirchi, praised her professionalism and remarkable memory for dialogues. He recalled that she immediately embraced the challenge of playing a double role in Seeta Aur Geeta and said audiences still remember her as Basanti more than 50 years after Sholay.
Actor Madhoo, Malini’s cousin, admired the veteran star’s ability to remain composed during difficult times and said her faith had inspired her outlook on life.
Poonam Dhillon described Malini as the pride of the Indian film industry, praising both her acting career and public service as a politician.
Playback singer Kavita Krishnamurti recalled knowing Malini since childhood in Delhi and said her relationship with the family had remained unchanged despite becoming one of India’s biggest stars.
Anup Jalota said Malini’s contribution to Indian cinema and classical dance was too vast to be celebrated in just a few concerts, while Sudesh Bhosle described participating in the tribute as a great honour after weeks of rehearsals.
Composer Anu Malik, who worked with Malini on Maarg and Ek Chadar Maili Si, called the celebration a surreal experience and described her as one of Indian cinema’s greatest actors.
Produced and directed by RJ Anirudh, the charity concert also featured a tribute to Dharmendra and contributed Rs 10 lakh to CINTAA and FWICE.
