Mumbai: As Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic Bollywood film ‘Sholay’ clocks 50 years, veteran actress Hema Malini recalled shooting the hit number ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ was physically demanding.
Hema revealed that she was made to dance barefoot on hot rocks in the month of May due to director Ramesh Sippy’s insistence and her mother was against it.
Speaking at a magazine cover launch to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary, Hema said, “My mother was so worried about me dancing on the rocks bare feet, especially considering the extreme heat.”
Describing the harsh conditions during the shoot, Hema added: “The sand, the mud and especially the r
ocks were unbearably hot. Even stepping barefoot on the stones was very painful. My mother was worried and suggested that I wear a thin sole under my feet so that it wouldn’t hurt too much.”
“Rameshji noticed it immediately and asked me to remove it. He explained that during the dance movements, it would be visible on screen, and that wouldn’t look right.”
Hema further said she had tried to convince the filmmaker to reschedule the shoot to a cooler time of the year. “I tried my best to convince Ramesh Sippy to shoot the song in November or December. I told him it would be extremely hot in May and that I would be able to dance better if we avoided that heat. But he was very particular and said he wanted it to be shot in May itself.”
“After the shoot, I would put my feet in cold water and wrap them in cold towels to reduce the pain. I think my years of Bharatanatyam practice gave my legs and feet the strength to endure it.”
Released in 1975, ‘Sholay’ also featured Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan and Sachin Pilgaonkar in important roles.