Was Jaya Bachchan Jealous of Hema Malini in Baghban? She Said 'I Can't Look as Beautiful as Her'

Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan had an impressive chemistry in Baghban. The Ravi Chopra directed 2003 film brought back Hema and Amitabh as an elderly couple dealing with their selfish children. While the film was a massive hit, it was recently revealed that rumours did the rounds suggesting Dharmendra has not watched Baghban due to Hema and Amitabh’s chemistry. While Hema laughed off the rumours in a recent interview, did you know that Jaya Bachchan was also asked if she was jealous of Hema and Amitabh’s chemistry?

Yes, you read it right. Back in 2005, when Jaya Bachchan was slowly returning to films, having done Fiza (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001), Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe (2002) and Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), she appeared on a popular talk show where she was asked if she ever felt ‘jealous’ seeing Hema instead of her oppposite Amitbah in in Baghban. Jaya clarified that there was no jealousy involved.

“No, I don’t think so because Hema ji’s role was so wonderful that I cannot look as beautiful as she was looking in that role,” she told the host of Aaj Tak’s Seedhi Baat. When the host asked her, “So you automatically assumed that she is not as beautiful as her? Hema is prettier than you? Are you not jealous?”, Jaya humbly replied, “No, Didn’t get jealous because I didn’t say about acting, said about beauty.”

Meanwhile, speaking with Lehren Retro, Hema confessed she was apprehensive about signing Baghban at first. However, it was her mother who convinced her to do it. “I remember when I was hearing the story from Ravi Chopra, my mother was sitting. After he left, I said, ‘Chaar itne bade bade ladka ka role karne ko bol raha hai (He’s asking me to play the mother of four grown-ups). How can I do this.’ But my mother said, ‘No no no, you must do it!’ I said, ‘Why?’ ‘No, the story is very good. You must do it.’ How she was after me. I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’ But before that I felt… See, before that, I wasn’t doing films. After a long gap, I was working. So I thought, ‘Why should I do this?’ But she said, ‘No, you must do this. The role is very nice,’” she said.