Leopard enters Hema Malini's bungalow, vanishes

A leopard strayed into Bollywood actress Hema Malini's bungalow here Friday morning and created panic in the area, an official said.

The leopard was sighted in the bungalow premises in Malad by a security guard and a domestic help around 7.30 a.m.

The big cat's presence caused panic in the vicinity and the people from the neighbourhood contacted the forest department for help, said Chief Conservator of Forests (Thane Circle) S.A. Thorat.

"We had sent a team of forest officials to the place equipped with tranquilisers and a cage to try and trap the leopard. However, we thoroughly searched the premises and the surrounding areas also, but it had apparently escaped into the forest," Thorat told IANS Friday afternoon.

Hema Malini was not at home at the time and nobody was attacked by the animal.

Thorat assured people that leopard does not normally attack humans unless provoked or it is scared. It generally runs after small prey like dogs and pigs, and can travel long distances of 30-50 km in a single night.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park, spread over around 100 square km in northwest Mumbai has over five dozen leopards and many other wild animals living in the thick cover of the forest.

Leopards often stray into the sprawling housing complexes, the Film City, the Aarey Milk Colony, Dahisar, Borivli, Kandivili, Malad, Goregaon and other western suburbs and Mulund, Bhandup on the eastern side.

There have been at least five instances in the past couple of years of leopards, chasing preys, getting run over by speeding vehicles on the Western Express and Eastern Express highways.

Hema Malini's daughter to play Juliet

Esha Deol's younger sister Ahana is to take on the role of Juliet in an adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet.

The film will be produced by the older Deol sister, whose last film Tell Me Oh Khuda is still awaiting distribution.

In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, a source said: "Esha started taking a keen interest in filmmaking during the shoot of Tell Me Oh Khuda.

"Even after the shoots, she would be quite clued in to the post-production, going to the edits and learning the nuances."

The Deols' mother is Bollywood legend Hema Malini, who will reportedly be on set to give her offspring a helping hand with production and acting.

Esha made her return to acting last year with the action film after a string of commercial failures.

She featured in the film with her father Dharmendra.

Hema Malini elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka

Yesteryears Bollywood actress and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) star attraction Hema Malini is set to re-enter the Rajya Sabha -- this time as elected member from Karnataka.

She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2003 for a six-year term by the then National Democratic Alliance (NDA) prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the BJP.

Her choice as BJP candidate for the March 3 poll was announced in New Delhi late Friday, though there were several contenders from Karnataka BJP for the seat.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Saturday denied a rift in the state BJP unit over Hema Malini's selection.

"There is no rift. The party high command has taken the decision and we are all bound by it," he told reporters here, about 300 km from Karnataka capital Bangalore.

Yeddyurappa's denial comes in the midst of reports that he was pushing for nomination of his confidant and former BJP central minister V. Dhanajaya Kumar.

The Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka became vacant following the death of M.V. Rajashekara Murthy of Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) Dec 5.

The filmstar's victory is assured as the ruling BJP has 107 members, including the assembly speaker. It can bank on the support of one Independent member also. She would be in the Rajya Sabha till April 2 next year.

The Congress has 71 members and JD-S 27. The two parties have not announced whether they plan to field a nominee of their own or a joint candidate.

With numbers against them, the two parties may not field a candidate.

Hema Malini is likely to file her papers Monday, the last day for doing so.

The state assembly is 225-member strong, including one nominated member.

However, its present strength is 206 following disqualification of 16 legislators -- 11 BJP and five Independents -- for rebelling against Yeddyurappa in September-October last year.

The other three vacancies were caused by resignation of the Congress and JD-S members.

Popular as the 'dream girl' of Bollywood, Hema Malini's link with Karnataka was in connection with her role as the chirpy 'tongawali' Basanti in the Hindi blockbuster 'Sholay'. The film's Ramgarh was Ramanagaram, about 50 km from Bangalore.

Hema Malini (Dream Girl) turns 62

Hema Malini, the eternal beauty of Bollywood turns 62 today! After three decades in the industry Hema Malini still retains the title of ‘Dream Girl’.

The Padma Shri recipient and one of the most talented actresses Bollywood has announced that she would give dance performance by participating in an breast cancer awareness program to be held in Oman.

She started her career in the 60’s and even now she is the queen of a million hearts.

The reigning diva of Bollywood in the 60’s and 70’s – Hema was charming in her dual roles in Seeta Aur Geeta and her terrific portrayal of Basanti in Sholay. Who can forget that?

Even today, Hema Malini, who is also a director, has given striking performances in films like Baghban and Babul.

The wife of Dharmendra and mother of Esha Deol an Ahana Deol, Hema Malini is also an accomplished Bharatnatyam dancer.

We at BollywoodChaska wish her a very Happy Birthday and the best of health and happiness. We wish her success in all her future projects.