Mumbai, September 4 (IANS) Bollywood superstar and classical dancer Hema Malini celebrated Janmashtami by sharing a glimpse of her dance ballet ‘Radha Raas Bihari’.

Taking her followers into the world of Radha and Krishna through classical dance, Hema Malini shared a video from the ballet in which she can be seen dressed as Radha, and performing in an elaborate traditional costume and jewellery.

The dance glimpses show the veteran artiste performing graceful classical movements on stage, with her troupe and another dancer portraying Krishna in portions of the performance.

Sharing the clip on the auspicious occasion, 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!”

For the uninitiated, ‘Radha Raas Bihari’ is among Hema's celebrated dance productions based on the divine relationship between Radha and Krishna. The ballet incorporates Indian classical dance traditions and has been performed by Hema on many occasions.

While Hema Malini became one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars, dance remained an integral part of her life. She began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of five, with her mother Jaya Chakravarthy taking charge of her daughter's dancing career.

For the uninitiated, Hema's childhood was spent in Delhi, where she began performing on stage at a young age.

Her mother encouraged her to pursue classical dance seriously, and Hema went on to receive extensive training in Bharatanatyam. She later also trained in Kuchipudi, including under renowned guru Vempati Chinna Satyam in Chennai.

In an interview, Hema had recalled how her mother was instrumental in shaping her as a dancer.

Over the years, Hema Malini has presented dance ballets based on mythological and spiritual themes, including ‘Durga’, ‘Meera’, ‘Ramayana’, ‘Savitri’ and ‘Radha Krishna’, apart from ‘Radha Raas Bihari’.

Not many knot Hema's association with Bollywood icon, Rekha, also goes back to their early years in classical dance.

In a recent conversation on Indian Idol, Hema recalled seeing Rekha when the latter was still a young girl.

Hema said that she was undergoing Bharatanatyam training in Chennai and had also begun learning Kuchipudi under Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam. Rekha would attend the same dance classes.

Recalling those days, Hema described Rekha as a “very mischievous” child who would sometimes run away from rehearsals, making her difficult for the guru to catch.

Hema's training in classical dance became an important part of the grace and poise that she brought to the silver screen.

She began appearing in films in the 1960s, including early roles in South Indian movies, before making her Hindi film debut as the leading lady opposite Raj Kapoor in ‘Sapno Ka Saudagar’ I. 1968. The film's publicity famously introduced her as the “Dream Girl”, a title that stayed with her throughout her career.

She went on to establish herself as one of Hindi film industry's biggest female stars with films such as ‘Johny Mera Naam’, ‘Andaz’, ‘Lal Patthar’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Khushboo’, ‘Kinara’, ‘Dream Girl’, ‘Meera’, ‘Satte Pe Satta’, ‘Razia Sultan’, ‘Andhaa Kanoon’ and ‘Baghban’.

–IANS

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