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Bollywood News Updated Jul 12, 2026

Hema Malini Reveals Her First Impression of Dharmendra on Simi Garewal Show

Hema Malini revealed on Simi Garewal’s show that she first met Dharmendra at a film premiere and thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She was drawn to his loving, affectionate, and soft-spoken personality. Despite initial hesitation, Dharmendra’s persistent charm eventually won her heart. Their on-screen chemistry led to a real-life romance while working on multiple films together.

When Hema Malini revealed what was her first impression of Dharmendra

Mumbai, July 12

Hema Malini and Dharmendra were the most beloved couple of their time, delivering many memorable hits such as 'Seeta Aur Geeta, 'Sholay', 'Dream Girl', 'Azaad', 'Dillagi' and 'The Burning Train'.

While talking to Simi Garewal during her show, 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal', Hema Malini revealed what her first impression of Dharmendra was.

Simi asked Hema, "So where did you first meet Dharamji, and what did you think of him?"

To this, Hema revealed that at the time, she thought that she has never laid eyes on a man as handsome as Dharmendra.

"I met him first at the premiere of one of the films. And I felt, I thought I had never seen such a handsome man in my life, you know. So handsome he was, so good looking, and I heard him saying the same thing about me. And then I got the opportunity to work with him and others."

Simi further questioned, "When you got to know him, when you started working with him, what appealed to you about him?"

"He's a very loving, affectionate, soft-spoken person. These are the qualities I like. I was working with so many heroes, but I always used to look forward to somebody like him."

As the conversation moved forward, Simi asked Hema what made her say yes to Dharmendra.

Revealing how the 'He-Man' of Bollywood wooed her, she shared, "He used to say that he loves me a lot. I used to say, okay, okay. I never used to give him much, what do you call, a lift. Knowing the whole consequences. Well, it's difficult for a girl to resist so much charm. See, we are busy working on films. Continuously doing two to three shifts. And naturally, working with the same person, we are shooting in Bombay, we are going for outdoors, so it is quite natural to get involved."

— IANS

Reader Comments

Vikram M

Honestly, it's refreshing to see such candid revelations from an era when actors kept their personal lives private. But let's be real - the whole "difficult for a girl to resist" thing is a bit problematic. She was already working with many heroes, and his persistence seems borderline. Still, they made it work, so good for them.

Rahul R

Imagine being so handsome that even Hema Malini - the Dream Girl herself - is speechless! 😄 Their love story is like a filmy script. Also, Simi Garewal's show was gold - she got actors to open up like no one else. Those were the days of real Bollywood charm!

Anjali F

Such a sweet revelation! But I wonder about the other side of the story - Dharam ji was married when they started working together. Even in those days, it must have been complicated. Their love story is legendary, but let's not forget the sacrifices and societal judgments they faced. A true test of love.

Kavya N

"I never used to give him much of a lift" - Hema ji was playing hard to get! 😂 But seriously, her honesty is admirable. Working together for hours, outdoor shoots, shared struggles - it's natural to develop feelings. Today's generation would call it "workplace romance" but back then it was just pure magic. ✨

Ritu A

What I love most is how she describes him as "loving, affectionate, soft-spoken" - these are qualities that make a marriage last, not just looks. And 50+ years later, they're still together! That's the

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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