Hema Malini remembers the troubled early days of Mumbai, when she lived in a haunted house
Hema Malini, best known for her work in Hindi cinema, shared a story from her early days in Mumbai, which included staying in a haunted house.
Hema Malini, one of the most celebrated actresses of Indian cinema, gave a glimpse of her early life in Mumbai and revealed the difficulties she faced soon after moving from cities like Chennai and Delhi. Details of his journey recorded in Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s book Hema Malini: Beyond the dream girlHe described his struggle to adapt to small apartment life and the unique experiences he had after starting his film career.
His first experience in Mumbai included living in a small apartment in Bandra while shooting for his first Hindi film. dream merchantWhere she acted with Raj Kapoor. The city, known for its fast pace and limited living space, proved challenging for Hema, who was more accustomed to the comforts and space of her family home in the south.
Hema Malini revealed that she felt uneasy in the initial accommodation, especially at night. She recalled, “Every night, I felt like someone was trying to strangle me; I was having difficulty breathing. I used to sleep with my mother, and she noticed how restless I was. If it had happened only once or twice, we would have ignored it, but it happened every night,” Hema recalled, recalling her early apartment days. ndtv,
After completing his first film, Hema and her family Searched for a more suitable place to live. They moved into a bungalow, but the problems continued. She felt uneasy in her new surroundings, feeling watched or harassed every night. These recurring disturbances made it clear to her family that the discomfort was not just a passing phase.
During this period, he had visitors from the film industry. She said, “I remember Dharmendra ji used to come for coffee, but then I didn’t know that I would love and marry him.” This marked the beginning of a new friendship that would later become important in his personal life.
Before finally settling into her bungalow, Hema received a call from her father while she was on the sets. He asked her to visit Walkeshwar, a famous neighborhood in South Mumbai, where he had arranged for a sea-facing apartment. Despite her father’s efforts, Hema felt that the apartment did not live up to her expectations.
Reflecting on that decision, Hema said, “He asked if I liked a flat. It was probably the first time I told him that I didn’t like living in the city (South Bombay) but wanted a house with lots of trees, like we had in Chennai. Then he started looking for a bungalow in Juhu,” she shared.
Hema Malini married Dharmendra in 1980. His experiences in Mumbai, from struggling with urban life to finding his place professionally and personally, reflect the many steps and stories behind his journey to becoming a renowned figure in Indian cinema. Dharmendra died in November 2025.
