City
Epaper

When Hema Malini got rejected for a Tamil film for being ‘too slim'

By IANS | Updated: September 14, 2025 17:20 IST

Mumbai, Sep 14 Veteran actress Hema Malini had once opened up about an early setback in her career, ...

Open in App

Mumbai, Sep 14 Veteran actress Hema Malini had once opened up about an early setback in her career, revealing how she was rejected for a Tamil film because she was considered ‘too slim.’

The legendary actress reflected on how this experience, though disappointing at the time, shaped her journey in the film industry. During her early appearance on the popular talk show “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai,” Hema revealed she was offered a role in a Tamil film. Although she had started working on it, the project didn’t move forward because the material wasn’t strong, and she was new to acting at the time. Her expressions and dialogue delivery, shaped by dance, didn’t match the expectations of the filmmaker, and her slim physique was considered a drawback for the South Indian audience of that era.

Hema Malini admitted that being rejected for the role initially felt like a personal failure and left her upset.

The ‘Sholay’ actress recalled, “There was an offer in Tamil film. I started the work. But somehow the material was not good. Because those days, there was no acting school. So, I was absolutely so new to this acting field. I only knew dance. Through dance, whatever expression I do or whatever dialogue I say, it was like that. But they somehow found I am not very correct. And I was very slim. I should say slim or thin. I don't know. I was very thin.”

“For the south audience, you know, those days the heroines were quite the healthy type. I was not like that. So, this was the drawback. So, it was good that I didn't do it. But at that time, I was thinking why did I do it? All these offers came. Because it was like a failure for me. I could not. They rejected me and all this. I felt very upset about it.”

The celebrity talk show, hosted by Farooq Shaikh, honored Hema Malini’s remarkable journey, with family and friends highlighting her disciplined lifestyle and enduring love for dance. The episode also included touching messages from renowned celebrities, including Jeetendra and Dharmendra, making it a heartfelt tribute to the actress.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Open in App

Related Stories

HealthInherited nurses crisis from AIADMK: TN Health Minister Ma Subramanian

BusinessApollo Techno Industries Limited SME IPO Opens on 23rd December, 2025

NationalInherited nurses crisis from AIADMK: TN Health Minister Ma Subramanian

BusinessMediaTek Showcases AI & Camera-Enabled Innovations Across it's Flagship Dimensity Portfolio

InternationalBangladesh: Cultural groups, journalists take to streets against 'attack on Liberation War ideals'

Entertainment Realted Stories

EntertainmentRaashii Khanna shares BTS clips of herself from the sets of Pawan Kalyan's 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh'

EntertainmentLate Sushant Singh Rajput's sister sends birthday wishes to Ankita Lokhande filled with 'all her love'

EntertainmentNew mommy Parineeti Chopra says she is dealing with ‘postpartum symptoms’

EntertainmentVivaan Shah sheds lights on his 'Ikkis' role

EntertainmentDivya Seth Shah documents her first day of shoot after losing daughter a year ago