Hema Malini once recalled first film jitters; felt scared doing romantic scenes with Raj Kapoor: 'This is such a…'

Veteran actress Hema Malini, loved as Bollywood’s ‘Dream Girl,’ has won hearts for many years with her beauty, grace, and unforgettable performances. But before hits like ‘Sholay,’ ‘Seeta Aur Geeta,’ or ‘Baghban,’ she was just a nervous teenager making her first step into films with ‘Sapno Ka Saudagar.’In a past chat with Lehren Retro, Hema looked back at her first on-screen experience. She shared that working opposite the legendary Raj Kapoor, who was in his forties at the time, made her feel nervous. As a newcomer, she had to simply do what was asked, even when the romantic scenes felt awkward. She said, “I was very scared and all in the beginning. Actually, it's my first film. With him, I had some very funny romantic scenes and all.”The actress shared that it was director Mahesh Kaul who came to her rescue during those tough shooting moments. He explained the emotions behind the scenes in a way that she could relate to, making the process less intimidating.When asked about the big age difference between her and Raj Kapoor, Hema admitted she was aware of it. Still, she chose to see him only as an actor and felt he suited the role well. But she also confessed that at first she was scared and found it hard to handle the situation.In the same chat, Hema shared that she had set strong limits in her career from the very beginning. She said people in the film industry already knew about her boundaries, and she always made sure not to cross them.Hema also recalled how Raj Kapoor once offered her the lead role in ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram.’ Interestingly, he already knew that she would not take it up because of her strict image and choices. As she remembered it, even before she could respond, her mother quickly refused the offer on her behalf.“Raj Kapoor came to me and asked me to do Satyam Shivam Sundaram. But he only said, ‘This is such a film, and I don’t feel you would do it. But I am very keen that you should do it. But I know you will not do it.' So my mother is also sitting and says, ‘No, she will not do all that.’"