Hema Malini Advocates for Graceful Ageing Amidst Industry Pressure |

At 77, Hema Malini has spent more than five decades in the public eye — first as one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring leading ladies, then as a celebrated classical dancer and, later, as a politician. Yet, she insists she has never simply stood still. In a candid conversation with Mumbai Mirror, the actress looks back at an era when stardom did not come with the relentless glare of social media and camera phones, shares her views on the industry’s obsession with appearance and ageing, and explains why she believes audiences have continued to remember her.‘Today’s generation wants quick fame’Having entered the film industry in the late 1960s, Hema has witnessed its transformation from close quarters. And if there is one thing she finds striking about the current generation of actors, it is the constant pressure to remain visible. “Today there is too much exposure. We were never exposed like this. Now, before stepping out of the house, an actor has to think about what to wear, what bag to carry, how to walk, because somebody is photographing you from every angle. You go to the airport and people immediately click photographs with their mobile phones. Even if you’re not dressed properly, nobody cares. The picture is everywhere,” she explains.She believes the chase for constant visibility has also changed the way younger actors approach fame. “Youngsters today want quick fame. For publicity, they are ready to do anything. We never had to do all that. We worked for 60 or 70 days on a film and then waited to see the result on screen. I always knew I had done my best. Whether the film became a hit or not was a different matter.”‘Age gracefully but remain dignified’The conversation then turns to another pressure that comes with living under the public gaze: the industry’s preoccupation with looking young. While cosmetic procedures have increasingly become part of the conversation around celebrity appearances, Hema believes there is a fine line between maintaining oneself and going too far. “Ageing gracefully is very important because you have to maintain yourself. If there is something genuinely necessary for your appearance, one can definitely try it. As long as you are in the public eye, you have to be presentable. That’s all. But don’t overdo anything. Even if you wear something simple, be dignified. Women should dress up nicely. They don’t have to expose too much. Nowadays, young girls expose so much. Being a woman and being a mother, I don’t like it. It really hurts,” she adds.‘People haven’t forgotten me because I never stopped creating’While appearances and visibility may dominate the industry today, Hema believes her own longevity has come from something more substantial: never allowing herself to become creatively inactive. “People say they have not forgotten me, but that’s because I never stopped. Apart from acting, I continued with my classical dance. Then I became a Member of Parliament and I’m constantly working in my constituency. I’m always among people, doing some work or the other. So, I’m not remembered only as an actress. My dance became another identity and then my public work became another responsibility,” she signs off.