‘B’wood has no roles for us’

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Yesteryear actress Hema Malini believes that making films is much harder than it used to be. Looking elegant as always in a green and off-white sari, the actress said that the high budgets and complicated process of releasing a film scare her.

“Things were simpler a few decades back. Making films was much cheaper and there was less competition at the box office. But now to make a commercially successful film is much more difficult. I would like to venture into filmmaking but the whole process is very complicated,” said Hema, on her trip to the capital to launch Kent RO, with zero per cent water wastage technology, at Le Merdien hotel recently.
Her last film Tell Me O Kkhuda added to her woes, says Hema. “The film was not properly promoted and did not release at the right time. As a result, it made poor box office collection,” she says.
Hema believes that unlike Hollywood, the Hindi film industry lacks good roles for veteran actors. “Bollywood has no roles for us. I am a very bold and creative person and would like to take up challenging roles but the scripts that come to me are very weak. Many senior actors like me want to make a comeback to the silver screen but there are no exciting roles,” says Hema, who has acted in super hits like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Dreamgirl, Naya Zamana and many more.
She wishes to play roles like Meryl Streep. “She has so many good scripts to choose from. Her role in Spring Hopes is one of the kinds I would love to play,” says Hema. Disappointed with Bollywood scripts, Hema is presently going through some TV serial scripts. However, she insists that TV has also changed and is equally competitive. “Every actor on the small screen has gone through lot of hard work. Though TV is also very experimental these days, I am waiting for the right script,” says Hema.
Though Hema has been associated with a political party for a while, she insists that she has no plans of playing a bigger role in politics.
She says that for now she is keeping herself busy with dance shows where her daughters also accompany her sometimes.
“Esha is doing well and will make a comeback to acting whenever it suits her while Ahana also has many plans. I spend a lot of time with family these days,” signs off Hema.