When Hema Malini's Russian fans got berserk

Earlier this week  ‘Dream Girl’ Hema Malini  headed to Russia on a special invitation to attend the Indian Film Festival Of Russia.  Little did she know what awaited her. “It was the most exhilarating three days of my life. The fan adoration I saw in Russia is unbelievable. I was told only two other Indian actors before me have seen the same kind of popularity in Russia. Raj Kapoor Saab, who was incidentally my first co-star (in the film Sapnon Ka Saudagar in 1969), and Mithun Chakraborty.” 

Hema’s connections with Russia go back to 1980 when she starred in the Indo-Russian co-production Alibaba 40 Chor. “That  film featured both Indian and Russian technicians and was very popular in Russia. But the Russians today love me for another film altogether,” says Hema.

Hema’s Russian fans are devoted fanatics of one of her films, Seeta Aur Geeta. “They are crazy about that film. They remember every detail  of the plot. Imagine, the film came in 1972, and they want a sequel now!” Incidentally, Seeta Aur Geeta director Ramesh Sippy is game for a sequel. Sippy, who has collaborated with Hema on Sholay, recently worked with her again in a film called Shimla Mirchi.

Hema Malini confesses that one of the pleasures of the Russian visit was to meet the veteran Russian actress Kseniya Ryabinkina. Says Hema fondly, “She was Dharamji’s heroine in Raj Kapoor’s Saab’s Mera Naam Joker. I was very happy to meet her.”