Hema Malini has acted in more than 150 films, many of which center on strong, independent female characters. She is celebrated for mainstream hits like Sholay (1975; “Embers”) and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972; “Seeta and Geeta”), and for her performances in parallel cinema, including Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986; “A Dirty Bedsheet”) and Rihaee (1988; “Liberation”), which explored complex social and gender themes.