Hema Malini

One of the most enduring divas of Hindi cinema a producer and director for films and television dancer and choreographer par excellence magazine editor an active member of Parliament and now a singer Hema Malini wears many hats with admirable ease. No other industry name comes close to matching the breadth of her achievements.

In an industry where the male star has traditionally driven the commercial success of films Hema was an exception with her name alone sufficing to ensure a film's box-office glory. She was arguably India's first female superstar. Apart from starring in mainstream super-hits like Johny Mera Naam Jugnu Andaz Seeta Aur Geeta Sholay and more recently Baghban she received critical acclaim for her performances in Lal Patthar Khushboo Kinara Meera Ek Chadar Maili Si and Razia Sultan. But there is much more to her than just her Bollywood journey.

From her efforts at reviving and sustaining classical dance to her graceful handling of her personal life and the controversies that have plagued her in her political avatar from her relationships to her religious beliefs and her recent tryst with singing Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl covers it all. With detailed interviews and exclusive anecdotes from her family friends and co-actors this is an inside look at the remarkable life of one of our greatest cinema icons someone who has truly lived life on her own terms.

>Hema MaliniMukherjee Ram KamalHarperCollins9789352773220