1
As a young aspiring dancer in Delhi, Hema Malini with her family caught a Bharatnatyam performance of Vyjayanthimala at Sapru House. She later recalled in her biography by Bhawana Somaaya, “She looked ethereal. After the show, she shook hands with me and spoke a few encouraging words. That was a magical moment for me and more so for my mother.”
2
Her first brush with cinema was with a Tamil film in which her co-star was the future chief minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa. The producer of the film wanted to change her name to Sujata and Hema found herself growing uneasy with the decisions made during the shoot. After the first schedule of the film was completed, she and her family read in the newspapers that she had been replaced in the project.
3
Her first Hindi film Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968) was opposite the star Raj Kapoor and co-starred Tanuja and Nadira. Hema Malini was offered this role after her patron Anantha Swamy observed her at one of her dance performances.
4
Hema Malini first met her husband Dharmendra at the premiere of Aasman Mahal (1965) just as she was cast in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968). Five years later, they worked together for the first time in Sharafat (1970).
5
When filmmaker Ramesh Sippy was just starting out, Hema Malini appeared in three of his earliest films, his directorial debut Andaz (1971), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and Sholay (1975). Hema Malini remembers seeing Sippy conversing on the sets on Andaz with two unknowns, who were later unveiled as writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. They all went on to work together in Sholay (1975).
6
Director Kamal Amrohi cast Hema in one of her more challenging roles, that of Razia Bano, the only female sultan of Delhi, in Razia Sultan (1983). He was so sure of her casting that he called her 'Razia' throughout the shooting of the film.
7
Hema Malini was appointed chairperson of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in 2000 for a term of three years. She was the first woman to hold the position.
8
Hema Malini directed both, her daughter Esha Deol and husband Dharmendra, in her second directorial venture, Tell Me O Kkhuda (2011). The storyline was similar to her first film as director, Dil Aashna Hai (1992), starring Shah Rukh Khan and the late Divya Bharti. She also directed two television productions, Noopur (1990) and Mohini (1995).
9
In 2011, Hema Malini was anointed PETA's Person of the Year for her crusade to ban jallikattu and horse carts in India.