Gunjan Chaudhary
Bollywood’s evergreen Dream Girl Hema Malini is today known for her luxurious lifestyle and her beautiful bungalow in Juhu, Mumbai. Over the years, her residence has often made headlines, especially because Dharmendra frequently visited her there during his lifetime. However, very few people know that there was a phase in Hema Malini’s life when she lived in a house that left her terrified and sleepless every night.
Hema Malini
Hema Malini Shared Her Haunted Experience
Hema Malini moved to Mumbai from Chennai to pursue her acting career. Accustomed to open spaces and independent houses, she found it extremely difficult to adjust to apartment living in Mumbai. In her early days in the city, she stayed in a small apartment in Bandra, which was often used by legendary costume designer Bhanu Athaiya for dress trials.
Hema Malini
Although she was just beginning her Bollywood journey, the living situation made her uncomfortable. Eventually, Hema decided to move out and found a bungalow, hoping it would offer her peace and privacy. But instead, it turned out to be a frightening experience. In Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s book ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’, the actress recalled a chilling incident from the time she was shooting her debut film Sapnon Ka Saudagar opposite Raj Kapoor.
Hema Malini
She revealed that the bungalow she moved into was considered haunted. Hema shared that every night she felt an eerie sensation, as if someone was trying to strangle her. She struggled to breathe and would wake up restless and frightened. She said that this disturbing experience wasn’t a one-time occurrence, it happened every single night. The actress slept beside her mother, who witnessed her discomfort and anxiety.
Hema Malini
Hema explained that had it happened only once or twice, they might have ignored it. But since it became a nightly ordeal, the fear became impossible to dismiss. After enduring this terrifying phase, Hema Malini decided to leave the bungalow. Soon after, she bought her first apartment in Mumbai, choosing safety and peace of mind over space. Around this time, Dharmendra would often visit her place for coffee, though she admitted that she never imagined then that their friendship would turn into love and eventually marriage.