- Hema Malini says cosmetic procedures are fine when genuinely needed, but should not be overdone.
- The actor believes ageing gracefully also means staying presentable and dignified.
- Hema says dance and public work helped her stay relevant beyond film
Hema Malini has shared her take on cosmetic procedures and ageing, saying there is nothing wrong with trying them when they are genuinely needed. The veteran actor, however, feels that people in the public eye should know where to draw the line and focus on looking presentable without going overboard.
For Hema, looking after oneself is important, especially when someone is constantly in the public eye. But she believes ageing should also be accepted naturally.
“Ageing gracefully is very important because you have to maintain yourself. If there is something genuinely necessary for your appearance, one can definitely try it. As long as you are in the public eye, you have to be presentable. That's all. But don't overdo anything,” the actor told Mumbai Mirror.
She also stressed the importance of carrying oneself with dignity. “Even if you wear something simple, be dignified. Women should dress up nicely. They don't have to expose too much. Nowadays, young girls expose so much. Being a woman and being a mother, I don't like it. It really hurts,” Hema Malini said.
The actor also compared the level of attention celebrities receive today with the era when she was a leading star. According to her, actors now have very little privacy, with phones and cameras following them almost everywhere.
“Today there is too much exposure. We were never exposed like this. Now, before stepping out of the house, an actor has to think about what to wear, what bag to carry, how to walk, because somebody is photographing you from every angle. You go to the airport and people immediately click photographs with their mobile phones. Even if you're not dressed properly, nobody cares. The picture is everywhere,” she explained.
Hema Malini also feels that this constant attention has made young actors more focused on quick fame. She said, “Youngsters today want quick fame. For publicity, they are ready to do anything. We never had to do all that. We worked for 60 or 70 days on a film and then waited to see the result on screen. I always knew I had done my best. Whether the film became a hit or not was a different matter.”
For Hema, staying relevant has never been only about films. She continued with classical dance and later entered politics, where she remains involved with her constituency.
“People say they have not forgotten me, but that's because I never stopped. Apart from acting, I continued with my classical dance. Then I became a Member of Parliament and I'm constantly working in my constituency. I'm always among people, doing some work or the other. So, I'm not remembered only as an actress. My dance became another identity and then my public work became another responsibility,” she said.
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