Hema Malini says Dharmendra opposed her joining politics: ‘Vinod Khanna supported me’ | Bollywood News

5 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 06:26 PM Actor and BJP MP Hema Malini has represented Mathura in Parliament for the past 12 years. However, entering politics was never part of her original plan. In a recent interview, the veteran actor revealed that it was her mother who encouraged her to take the plunge, while late actor-politician Vinod Khanna mentored her. Interestingly, it was her husband, actor Dharmendra, who was initially against the idea, largely because of his own experience in politics. Dharmendra died last year.
Speaking to Republic, Hema recalled how Dharmendra constantly worried about her safety while she campaigned across the country. “Initially, he used to get very worried and scared. BJP used to send me to various places for campaigns. Seeing the crowds, he would panic and say, ‘You go into those crowds, I hope you are safe.’ I travelled a lot helicopter, so that too used to bother him. He would often ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ I would tell him, ‘They are asking me to come, so I have to,’” she said.
She added that campaigning also made her realise the immense popularity she enjoyed among the public.
“Only after I started campaigning did I realise how popular I was. I would be stunned and ask, ‘Have these people come to see me?’ They would say, ‘Yes.’ It made me feel good.” Recalling her political experience from her initial days when she campaigned for Vinod Khanna, Hema Malini said: “In the beginning, though, I was nervous because I didn’t know how to deliver political speeches. It was my mother who wrote my first speech in Hindi.”
That speech was delivered in Gurdaspur during Vinod Khanna’s 1999 Lok Sabha election campaign. “It was his constituency. He was the one who brought me into politics, I would say,” she added.
Hema first campaigned for Vinod Khanna during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, marking her formal entry into politics. She addressed several rallies in Gurdaspur in support of the BJP candidate, urging voters to back the Akali Dal-BJP alliance led then Prime Miner Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
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Recalling how she eventually agreed to enter politics, Hema credited her mother for convincing her. “My mother told me, ‘BJP is a good party because of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani ji.’ Initially, I refused to join politics, but she said, ‘Don’t say no. You will be doing something for the country. You have entertained people enough. If you are getting this opportunity, take it.’”
She said she was later offered a Rajya Sabha seat, which eventually inspired her to contest the Lok Sabha elections. “That inspired me to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024, and I won all three.”
Hema also revealed that she had only one condition before agreeing to contest. “I had a condition. If I contest, it will always be from Mathura because I am a devotee of Lord Krishna. Initially, that seat was reserved for someone else, but eventually it was given to me. Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley strongly supported me. I miss them today.”
This isn’t the first time Hema has spoken about Dharmendra’s reservations over her political career. In an earlier interview with News18, she revealed that the veteran actor had advised her against contesting elections because of the challenges involved.Story continues below this ad
“Dharamji didn’t like it. He told me not to contest elections because it’s a very difficult task. He said, ‘I have experienced that.’ When he said that, I thought I should take it as a challenge. He had to travel long dances and still did a lot of work. But when you’re a film star in politics, people are eager to meet you. You can imagine the craze people had for Dharamji. It used to trouble him. I also face similar situations, which he doesn’t like. But because I am a woman, I am able to manage properly.”
Dharmendra served as the BJP MP from Rajasthan’s Bikaner constituency between 2004 and 2009. Although his parliamentary tenure drew criticism over his low attendance, he often said that balancing politics with his film career had been difficult.
In the same interview, Hema once again credited Vinod Khanna for shaping her political career. “I was inspired Vinod Khanna because he took me along for his election campaign. He taught me how to deliver speeches and how to face the public. It’s not a joke to speak before 5,000 or 6,000 people. The first time, you’re terrified.”
Vinod Khanna was a two-time BJP MP from Gurdaspur and later served as Union Miner of State for Tourism and Culture, as well as Miner of State for External Affairs.