This Bollywood actress felt ‘uncomfortable’ playing Raj Kapoor’s romantic interest

Bollywood actress Hema Malini, even after not consistently starring in films these days, remains a beloved figure, capturing hearts with her timeless charm and unmatched dancing prowess. The legendary actress has etched her name in the annals of Indian cinema with iconic roles in cinematic gems like Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Dharmatma, Dream Girl, Do Aur Do Paanch, Satte Pe Satta and more. While renowned for her expertise in classical dance, Hema Malini’s journey began with humble beginnings as an extra dancer in Telugu and Tamil films before rising to the top spot as an actress.

A notable highlight in her career was her starring role in Sapno Ka Saudagar, where she shared the screen with the legendary Raj Kapoor. In a recent interview with Lehren Retro, Hema Malini candidly revealed the unexpected discomfort she experienced while shooting romantic scenes with Raj Kapoor. Notably, there was a significant age gap of 28 years between the actress, who was in her late teens, and Raj Kapoor, who was in his 40s at the time of Sapno Ka Saudagar.

Due to the huge age difference, Hema revealed that she was apprehensive about the romantic scenes as she did not feel comfortable. She also attributed it to her Orthodox upbringing. She revealed that her mother convinced her to do the role as she wanted to experience the fame and success she never had through her daughter. Hema Malini admits that while she was aware of the age gap, she knew it was a huge honor and opportunity to act opposite the showman of the millennium in her first film.

She said that she then decided to see Raj Kapoor as a single actor doing his job and that comforted her. She also said that the film’s director Mahesh Kaul made things easy for her by explaining the emotion behind the scene through the language of dance. In the same interview, she also revealed that she had been offered Satyam Shivam Sundaram by Raj Kapoor, but considering the daring scenes required in the film, both the actress and her mother had declined.