“I love you and your art so much that I named my daughter Hema”, gushed Lalu Prasad Yadav to veteran Bollywood actress Hema Malini.
As soon as Hema heard Lalu say this, her eyes were on him. But alas, the loud uproar of laughter that followed in the packed hall diverted her attention from Lalu.
All this happened at a Diwali Milan function organised to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) in Patna on Tuesday.
Discussions and confusion on which celebrity to call for the function had been underway for a long time. But Lalu came to everyone's rescue and solved the problem by making a phone call inviting Hema Malini to Patna. And when he requested Hema to perform at the function, how could she say no?
I want to thank my father because it is only because of him that we were able to see Hema ji. Papa called her once and Hema ji came to Patna.Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy CM of Bihar
Now let us go back to the lively chatter between Hema Malini and Lalu Prasad Yadav that took place on stage.
Lalu arrived on the stage prior to Hema. As soon as he held the mic, he said he has a lot of love for Hema ji and is a connoisseur of her art.
The moment was indeed worth watching, with Hema continuously smiling at Lalu's endless compliments.
When Hema came to perform on stage, Lalu was not able to take his eyes off her.
After felicitating Hema, Lalu, who once talked about making Bihar's roads as smooth as Hema's cheeks, said:
If Dharmendra ji is our brother, you are our sister-in-law.
Lalu also used the opportunity to send a message to all those who tarnish the image of Bihar.
People in India and across the globe know Hema ji because of her films. Some people say don’t go to Bihar, the frogman lives there. But Hema ji has broken this myth by coming to Patna.Lalu Prasad Yadav, RJD Chief
Actually, Lalu deliberately wanted to say this in front of Hema because last year while campaigning during elections, Hema had questioned the law and order situation in Bihar.
Women in Bihar are not safe. I want to do a show in Bihar but people say that can’t happen because the situation in the state is not conducive.Hema Malini in an election rally in October 2015
Connection Between Lalu’s Family and Hema
The interesting comment about Hema’s cheeks by Lalu during an election campaign is what brought the two in contact. Later, Lalu said that those words were put in his mouth by Atal ji and the media blew it out of proportion.
However, this didn't make any difference to the connection between Lalu and Hema.
Lalu's fifth daughter’s name is also Hema. When Lalu named his daughter, speculation was rife that he had named her so after the actress.
And now Lalu himself has spilled the beans on the long-preserved secret.
What is considerable is the fact that Lalu’s son and Bihar's deputy CM still mentions Hema in his rallies and promises the people of Bihar beautiful roads.
The roads of Bihar will become like Hema Malini’s cheeks. When my father made this comparison, he was made fun of. But now his claim will be proved right. The roads of Bihar will be smooth and people will be able to cover the distance of Patna in five hours.Tejasvi Yadav, Deputy CM Bihar
Shatrughan Sinha was also present at the Diwali function. He was quick to make a quip at Tejasvi Yadav as soon as he held the mike. Pointing to Tejasvi he said:
Before us we have the most eligible bachelor of Bihar for whom 60,000 marriage proposals have come so far. Next time when I come to Bihar, this number would shoot up to 50 lakh. He is fit for a “Swayamvar”.
(Translated from Hindi Quint by Harshita Murarka.)
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