“75th is special, har saal nahin aata,” exclaims veteran actor Hema Malini, who is in disbelief that she has hit the milestone in her life. She adds, “I am 75! I can’t believe it. I have been so busy working all these years that I didn’t even realise where the time went. But age is just a number. It depends on how you look after yourself and if others are inspired by the work you do. Now, I work and spend time with my children and grandchildren. Life is beautiful.”

The day is extra special for Malini as her husband, veteran actor Dharmendra, is also back from the USA after recovering from an undisclosed illness. “He is here for my birthday and the biggest gift he can give me is spending time with us,” the actor smiles.

The actor-politician adds that she has been really busy for the last one month, fulfilling her responsibilities as a Member of Parliament. Having spent a lot of time in her constituency, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), over the last few weeks, she now wants to spend time with people from her another profession — acting.

To mark her 75th birthday, Malini, who has been part of cult classics such as Johny Mera Naam (1970), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and Sholay (1975), among others, will be hosting a gala dinner for her industry friends in Mumbai today: “It’s also my 75th year in the film industry. My career has been so beautiful, as I got to work with some wonderful people. So, it’s time for me to thank them.”