Hema Malini says director Ramesh Sippy, with whom she has worked on Seeta Aur Geeta and is now working on Shimla Mirch, makes her do weird stuff in all his films. In the 1972 comedy, Hema sat on a ceiling fan.
Hema Malini is making a comeback to the big screen after a gap of three years — her last release was Bbuddah... Hoga Terra Baap (2011).
In her next, she will be working with film-maker Ramesh Sippy after 40 years. The duo has in the past collaborated on projects like Andaz (1971), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and Sholay (1975).
Talking about working with Sippy, Malini says, "When my brother Mohan told me that Rameshji wanted to meet me, I thought he wanted to discuss some issue relating to our film industry. And that he wanted me to take it up in the Parliament. So I agreed to meet him. It was only then that I realised that he wanted to meet me for a film."
The veteran actor adds that she was sold on the idea of working with Sippy after so many years. "Also, the role of a mischievous mother was something I haven’t done so far," she says.
As if on cue, Sippy sends kneepads for the actor. "Rameshji makes me do weird stuff in all his films. He made me sit on a ceiling fan in Seeta Aur Geeta, ride a horse-drawn carriage in Sholay and in this one, he wants me to climb a tree," she says.
Malini is a member of the Parliament. How did her husband Dharmendra, a former Rajya Sabha member, react to her decision to contest the elections? She says, "He was scared for me. When I first told him that I was going to contest the Lok Sabha elections, he was like why are you taking this ‘panga’? People will harass you. But, later on, he came around and supported me. I would talkto him every day, and he would arrange security for me when I would go campaigning."