Big heroines don’t need item numbers: Hema Malini

MUMBAI:

The dream girl of Indian cinema, Hema Malini, feels there is no need for top notch actors to endorse item songs.

“It’s not my taste but people’s taste has changed. What to do? People love to see all that. But I would like to say one thing that the big heroines who have earned a name for themselves don’t need to do item numbers. There are a lot of other people to do item numbers,” she said at an event celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema in Mumbai.

Recently, some of the item songs like Katrina Kaif’s “Sheila Ki Jawani” and “Chikni Chameli”, Deepika Padukone’s “Dum Maaro Dum” and Kareena Kapoor’s “Chammak Challo” became chartbusters.

Malini does not personally like them and added: “The whole meaning of item numbers has changed from our time. Now they are ‘Munni Badnaam’ and some ‘Jalebi’ and people like it. I personally don’t like these songs.”

Malini, 63, has earned a name for herself in filmdom for her beautiful and charismatic dancing and acting abilities. She started her career with the 1968 film Sapno Ka Saudagar and in her longer than four decades career, she has done numerous films like Seeta Aur Geeta and Sholay, which earned her great acclaim at the box office.

Hema Malini is an acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer and does solo stage performances as well with her two daughters — Esha and Ahana Deol. The Bollywood star appreciates good dancing and feels that actors should work towards this kind of dance.

“After Madhuri and Sridevi, I think Aishwarya is a nice dancer. She has done some good work. Vidya Balan is also nice. I have not seen anyone after that,” stated the actor.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2012.