INTIMATE REVELATIONS
An artiste par excellence who has made a mark on celluloid, the small screen and the stage, Hema Malini has always kept her personal life very private. But film journalist Bhawana Somaaya gives us a peek into her life through her work, Hema Malini: The authorized biography.

The book traces the meteoric rise of this simple girl from Trichinapalli in Tamil Nadu who went on to become the longest reigning star of Hindi cinema. The actor's childhood comes alive as the readers discover how as a child, Malini was often reprimanded by her mother when she disobeyed her and how her younger brother Jagannath hatched schemes to distract her during her dance sessions.

The author highlights the major landmarks in Malini's life: her mother Jaya's role as a driving force behind the actor's success and her leaning towards spirituality. Poignant moments from the actor's personal life - like the moral dilemma she faced during her courtship with actor Dharmendra and the many sacrifices she had to make to sustain her marriage with him - offer some rare insights. The biography also reveals lesser known details about Malini's life. For example, few know that she had to act in B-grade films in the 80s to clear her income tax dues.

Journalist Bhawana Somaaya's simple yet lucid narrative style interspersed with Hema Malini's first-person accounts provide the readers glimpses into the actor's innermost thoughts. Sepia-toned and colour photographs chronicling the various stages of her life add a visual dimension to the biography. All in all, the book lives up to its promise of proving an intimate portrayal of Hema Malini - as daughter, wife, artiste, mother and politician.