New Delhi: Long-time politician and actress Hema Malini was recently the target of social media backlash when a video of her clearly becoming angry about a fan's effort to go too near to her went viral. During a photo session, Hema Malini gets irritated and requests a fan to not touch her.
The incident happened at a public event in Mumbai when people were swarming the actress for photos. Video footage shows a female fan attempting to put her arm around Hema Malini's back; the actress responds with a kind but stern "Haath nahi (Don't put your hand please)."
Watch the video here:
Hema Malini's behaviour was deemed unpleasant and cranky by some people, while others supported her right to personal space.
A user wrote, “She is acting like she is untouchable or something,” while another one said, “Lady didn’t mean any harm. She looked at her in disgust. Very bad behaviour.”
Some fans supported her saying, "People need to understand boundaries & personal space.”
A fan also said, “I understand that this behaviour is not good but it is also not appropriate to come into someone’s personal space or touching them without permission, fans should also understand that there is a thin line of personal space, and also celebs can politely convey this to the fans.”
Some also compared her with Jaya Bachchan, saying “Jaya Bachan and Hema Malini are the most grumpy female celebrities.”
The event has sparked conversations about how to strike a balance between being a fan and respecting someone's personal space. RJ Malishka wrote, "Don’t touch people without CONSENT. If they are uncomfortable they are. This is not attitude this is decency and space. Just because we see someone on screen a certain way doesn’t mean for a minute that they are not real people who are uncomfortable being touched by strangers without consent."
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Hema Malini work front
Meanwhile, Hema Malini's political career has also garnered substantial attention. With a margin of 29,407 votes, the BJP candidate won the Mathura seat in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, beating Mukesh Dhangar of Congress. On the film front, she was last seen in 'Shimla Mirchi' in 2020. The romantic drama was directed by Ramesh Sippy.