Hema Malini recently went down memory lane with us as we settled in for a chat about the late legend, filmmaker-actor Manoj Kumar, who passed away on April 4. One of their biggest hits together, Sanyasi, completes 50 years of its release this year as well — a milestone that brings back many memories.

Once dubbed one of the busiest stars of Hindi cinema, Hema no longer stars in films. Ask her why, and she quips, “Kya karna hai? Jaisi picture banate hain ab, how will I fit into that? People have seen me on the big screen, so beautifully picturized, like in Dharmatma directed by the great Feroz Khan, then films with Vijay Anand, Chetan Anand, Gulzar... I feel very lucky, I must say, when I look back.”

As the conversation shifts to the film industry today, she acknowledges how uncertain the business has become. Big names and familiar faces are no longer a guarantee for success. So, what does she feel is missing now?

“Achhi films bana rahe hain... but sab gruesome hai. Itna violence hai. Nothing is interesting. You feel scared to even touch the remote ki (on OTT) yeh film dekhun ki nahi. Everybody has a sword in hand and killing everybody. Kuchh bhi pleasant, happiness dene wala nahi hai.”

Harking back to her own time in cinema, the 76-year-old reflects, “Earlier we would watch films sitting together with the family. All of us would go to the cinema hall, enjoy watching and singing songs. Voh sab ab kahaan hai? Such dark films are being made. It’s not like that all the time in our life. One has to show something happy too on screen. Kabhi kabhi dark ban gaya, toh it’s okay.”

Hema’s husband, actor Dharmendra, recently underwent an eye surgery. She gives us a quick update on his health: “He is alright, that’s why I got delayed in our interview. I was asking him on video calls to show me his eyes. When he got out of the clinic after the surgery, the paps were present. Maybe the doctor or someone called or tipped them off. It was not required.”