Hema Malini’s journey to becoming Bollywood’s iconic “Dream Girl” was far from glamorous in its early years. Having grown up in cities like Chennai and Delhi, the veteran actor found it challenging to adjust to life in Mumbai when she moved there to pursue a career in films. In filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s book Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, the actor looks back at her initial days in the city—including a spine-chilling experience of living in what she believes was a haunted bungalow.
According to the book, Hema Malini initially lived in a small apartment in Bandra during the shooting of her Hindi film debut Sapno Ka Saudagar, which starred Raj Kapoor. While the film marked the beginning of her Bollywood career, her living situation at the time was far from comfortable. It was only after the film’s release that she moved into a bungalow—an experience she would never forget.
Recalling those days, Hema shared that her nights in the bungalow were deeply unsettling. “Every night, I felt someone was trying to choke me; I had difficulty breathing,” she revealed. She would often sleep beside her mother, who noticed how restless and disturbed she became. “If it had happened only once or twice, we would have ignored it, but it occurred every night,” Hema recalled, describing the fear she endured during that phase of her life.
She also fondly remembered how Dharmendra would occasionally drop by for coffee during those early years, adding that at the time, she had no idea that he would one day become her life partner.
Before moving into the haunted bungalow, Hema had another significant moment that shaped her Mumbai life. While shooting on set, she received a call from her father asking her to visit Walkeshwar in South Mumbai. Upon reaching there, she was surprised to learn that he had purchased a spacious sea-facing apartment for her. However, instead of being thrilled, Hema found herself longing for something different.
“That was perhaps the first time I told him I didn’t fancy staying in town,” she shared. Accustomed to living in independent houses surrounded by greenery in Chennai, Hema expressed her desire for a bungalow with trees and open space. Respecting her wishes, her father then began searching for a bungalow in Juhu.
Hema Malini eventually married Dharmendra in 1980, and her life took a new turn both personally and professionally. Looking back today, her early struggles—including eerie nights and difficult adjustments—stand as reminders of how far she has come, making her success story all the more remarkable.