This is the 'Punishment Column' in the charming port of Bari. Legend has it that naughty people were tied to the stone column and flogged, while the people of this small Italian town, hissed and spat to show their contempt.I ran into Hema the morning after the night of Esha’s Bidaai. My spontaneous reaction was to hug Hema. Now, as anybody who has ever known Hema Malini will immediately tell you, Hema does not belong to the ‘huggy-kissy ’lot in Bollywood. You don’t hug or kiss Hema. You bow! Hema is the original, aloof, imperious Queen. But I just had to hug her – and did. For one, I was feeling really sheepish and guilty about not having attended her precious baby’s wedding, nor any of the other lavish functions. The crowded airport that morning was not the place to go into apologies and explanations. I just wanted to convey my congratulations warmly, and tell Hema I love her – which I do. She looked miffed and said so. Which is also why I like her. Hema doesn’t bother to camouflage her feelings or mince her words. I managed to mumble a clumsy apology and hastily changed the subject, telling her I understood completely what her emotions must have been... and wasn’t she relieved it had gone off so splendidly? Hema ‘s big brown eyes clouded over, she took a deep breath, raised her chin defiantly, held back the tears, regained her composure quickly and said softly, “Not relieved. Sad. I felt sad watching Esha leave...”It was a beautiful mom-to-mom moment. We both left it at that.
I was travelling when Esha got married in the ISKCON temple at Juhu. I am sure I missed a really special ceremony. Once I got back, I caught up with all the press coverage and noted what a Herculean task Hema had undertaken, almost single-handedly. It was her show – and it showed! I don’t know how involved Daddy Dharmendra was, nor does it matter. Hema has always been an extraordinarily capable and hard working woman, running her life and career on her own, handling the affairs of her daughters, getting into politics and taking her new,neta role seriously, choreographing and dancing in ballets across the world, and most importantly, minding her own business. Hema’s unconventional and bold decision all those many years ago to make her life with the much-married Dharmendra came with a hefty price tag. Hema paid it without ever discussing the downside. Which is all the more reason why it seemed a bit of a shame that Dharmendra’s sons and their families chose to stay away from their half-sister’s big day. Surely, one puts differences aside at a joyous time such as a family wedding? I guess the men had their reasons. Who knows what the real complications and implications are in such domestic arrangements? Despite the obvious snub, Hema conducted herself with admirable dignity, and with her head held high. That’s our Hema. Proud and dignified at all times.
I watched her stride briskly into the Departure lounge. No fuss. No hangers-on. A woman of today. It was back to work, less than twelve hours after getting her beloved daughter married. Here’s another hug, just for that, Hema!
14 comments:
No doubt about that. Hema ji always rocked and will so. Period! Everybody's dream girl. She's so pretty, dignified, and such a huge star. Back in high school, my algebra professor was Asian and surprisingly he's big a fan of our gorgeous Hema Malini. He wouldn't stop talking about her beauty. She's such a nostalgia to our Sunday morning rangoli show. #youremember And very less women can have a life of what she has; very less I tell ya. She's more then fortunate. Easha's wedding was beautiful as well. May she still remain beautiful forever!!!!
Arghhh sorry about the typos. Kindly avoid it ji.
Btw, if we talk about punishment; we can start from all the members of Indian parliament, from current politicians to bureaucrats in their chamber doing nothing besides making a porn film with "strong, mature, ambitious, potential, and opportunistic lady colleagues." I'm sure this medieval punishment column is far better then bad karma of having dumb, deaf, and handicap children. And also that so called Uma madamji remind me of one of those power hunger, over controlling sinners in government
school. Ekkkkk such a cold hearted. The virtue of people sounds nuts when one lacks an inch of spiritual and moral grounding. These atlarge types can go to any extend and still don't feel any shame to it.
I've once spot my lady coworker hitting on pagall/ patient with mental imbalance. It shocked me to death; right away on my head I got an impression that she must be besting her husband as well. While growing up my mother used to tell me, "people with lower caste has strange and abusive habits that often they're not even aware of it." Right away that gostalgia of my mom's word came up and not surprisingly I had later discovered she belonged to untouchable. It's amazing when the real world proves every single word of your parents right. I hope all those abusive and mean people are reading this as well.
Haha ops! Beating not besting lol.
" It was her show – and it showed!" - Kaveri's water has wonders in it. It glistens once more in Mumbai.
"admirable dignity, and with her head held high." - Many consider it just reflections, a few realize or make the world realize the presence of its treasures :D
We are proud to read about Hemaji's bold and dignified way of leading her life and let her always be the unopposed queen of millions.
It is really a shameful act to stay away from a family wedding. Don't know for sure why they behaved like that.
i agree with your punishment theory.i read about the girl who was asked to drink her own urine for bed wetting...really sick ,that woman defenetly deserves a punishment.
I did read Dharamendra's statement (when asked about his familys absence),he said its thier personal matter!But i admire hema ,she is successful woman and has done well for herself.
awww!
i also adore her. i love her tamilized hindi... she is the perfect bridge between the north and the south, who lives in the west. i love it when she goes Nahiiiiiiiiiii... with a unique raag that even lata mangeshkar must be amazed about.. The actress i draw a parallel to in modern times is Vidya Balan... both hema and vidya are southies, both of them were rejected in south, both made it big unexpectedly, and both amaze us with their unconventional non-stereotyped decisions.
as of now, her legend but ends there. i dont see Eesha as the next Hema... just as i didnt see Twinkle as the next dimple. Suprisingly, Ahana and Rinky seem very promising. Rinky doomed in bollywood.. hope ahana blossoms.
It takes a lot of courage to marry a much married man. And a southie myself, i know of the many mysore-sandal-talc-bosomed aunties who would be quoting her as the perfect bad example. My granny would go... ":hope she doesnt become another hema malini or sridevi" (hinting - marrying a punjabi married man)
In a country that sees the woman as just the devi or the devil, it takes a lot of guts to stand alone and keep your head firmly on the shoulders while doing so.
Its easy for many to wear their hearts on their sleeves, It takes a hema to put the mind to the heart.
No doubt, Hema is a very beautiful woman, a good Bollywood style actress for her time and age and she had the courage to lie in the bed that she made.
Did she make the best choices? Looking in from the outside, I do not think she did. I never understood polygamy or polyamory, but then whatever floats Hema's own legal and personal boat is ok.
As for expecting the Deol brothers to attend the wedding. Why should we (the gaping public or media in general) have any expectations either way. It is truly their own judgement call. None of us are privy to the actual dynamics and conflicting loyalties of that rather complicated family.
The wedding photos were nice and I hope Esha and her new husband have a lovely life together.
That punishment column should get good use in Maharashtra! Perhaps we can set up the main ones outside Churchgate and VT and every commuter gets to whip corrupt politicians/ gangsters as they alight from the trains. Taking justice to the unwashed, hardworking masses! What about ancillary columns set up right outside the RTO/Income Tax office and BMC and every Government hospital in the city.
How come you are glorifying a woman who robbed another of her happiness.
Just because the latter took no action. It does not mean that she was/is not hurt, has no feelings....
Beauty is just skin deep.
The Deol brothers have every right to support their own Mother.
Never the less A happy wedded life to the new couple.
Cheers!
Deol brothers should grow up beyond being just their Mummy's sons. Such things happen with great men as they are made to transcend certain boundaries by the force of greatness. It will also be relevant to read what I wrote about Arnold S to his children: http://self-designed-universe.blogspot.in/2011/05/my-advice-to-arnold-schwarzeneggers.html
I often read Shoba De's articles. Those articles certainly prints some kind of reflection in mind. Thank you.
Yes shobha de has siad what was going through my mind .Hema Malini is a women of substance like jaya bhachan says . She is not bothered about Bachans , nor did deols .She always said openly i feel guilty about choosing another womens men but she couldnt resist. and hope Dharmendras wife would forgive her. She is truely a great lady and always the same person frank & fearless ! The one and only Dream Girl of India .! hats off to u Hemaji . who cares Bobby & sunny didint attend we are not ultimately it is ur life and eshas u people are deols as well as Malinis Ok
Great Article
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