Veteran actress and classical dancer Hema Malini marked Janmashtami by sharing a video clip from her celebrated dance ballet 'Radha Raas Bihari', offering followers a rare look at her on stage dressed as Radha in an elaborate traditional costume and jewellery. The footage, shared on the auspicious occasion, shows the veteran artiste performing graceful classical movements alongside her troupe, with another dancer portraying Krishna.

The Ballet and What It Depicts

Sharing the clip, Hema wrote: 'On the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami, sharing a clip from my dance ballet, ‘Radha Raas Bihari’. May this Janmashtami bring peace, happiness and prosperity for all. Radhe Radhe... Jai Shri Krishna!' The production is among her most celebrated works, built around the divine relationship between Radha and Krishna and rooted in Indian classical dance traditions. Hema has performed it on multiple occasions over the years.

A Dancer Before She Was a Star

Dance has remained central to Hema Malini's identity well beyond her decades in Hindi cinema. She began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of five, with her mother Jaya Chakravarthy playing a decisive role in shaping her early training. Her childhood years in Delhi included stage performances from a young age, before she pursued more formal classical instruction. She later trained in Kuchipudi as well, including under the renowned guru Vempati Chinna Satyam in Chennai. In interviews, Hema has credited her mother as the primary force behind her development as a dancer.

Rekha Connection: A Shared Guru

A lesser-known detail from Hema's dance years resurfaced in a recent conversation on the television programme Indian Idol: her early encounter with Bollywood icon Rekha. Hema recalled that Rekha, then still a young girl, attended the same dance classes under Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam in Chennai. She described Rekha as a 'very mischievous' child who would sometimes slip away from rehearsals, making her difficult for the guru to manage — a memory that drew warm laughter from the audience.

A Filmography Built on Grace

Hema's classical training informed the poise she carried onto the silver screen. She began appearing in films in the 1960s, with early roles in South Indian productions, before making her Hindi film debut opposite Raj Kapoor in 'Sapno Ka Saudagar' in 1968. The film's publicity introduced her as the 'Dream Girl' — a title that defined her career. She went on to star in landmark films including 'Seeta Aur Geeta', 'Sholay', 'Dream Girl', 'Meera', 'Satte Pe Satta', and 'Baghban', among others.

A Legacy Beyond Cinema

Over the decades, Hema Malini has presented dance ballets on mythological and spiritual themes — including 'Durga', 'Meera', 'Ramayana', 'Savitri', and 'Radha Krishna' — cementing her standing as one of India's foremost classical dance practitioners. Her Janmashtami tribute reaffirms that for Hema, dance is not a side pursuit but the thread that runs through everything else.