Basanti wants Ramgadh to stay as it is

Hema Malini says she hopes the state government will protect disputed tract in Ramanagar if it falls in reserved forest area

Hema Malini says she hopes the state government will protect disputed tract in Ramanagar if it falls in reserved forest area

Hema Malini who played Basanti in the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay is unhappy with the idea of a 'Ramgadh resort' coming up on the stretch of woodland where the film was shot 35 years ago.
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The actress was 24, when the film was shot.

Apart from the commercial and critical success that it brought, the film is also special for personal reasons. It was on the sets of Sholay that Hema Malini's romance with Dharmendra blossomed.

Hema Malini's romance with Dharmendra blossomed on the sets of Sholay at Ramnagar

"This is a very serious issue, which should concern every one. One worries when something like this passes on to private parties solely interested in commercial gain," said Hema Malini who was in town for a dance show.

When MiD DAY met her at the venue, she admitted that she was clueless about the resort that was being built on the land in Ramanagar that is known as Ramgadh to countless Hindi film buffs.
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"I have come here for a different reason. I have a dance performance to give. I don't know what is happening there.
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I will have to study the details and think about it," said the actress, who is also the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"If it is a forest land, it must be conserved. It does not matter if it was related to Sholay or any other film and I hope the government takes appropriate steps to protect it," she said.

When asked whether she would advise the state government run by her party in this regards, she said, "As I said, I don't know the specifics of the issue.

I have not come here as a politician or an activist. Give me some time to think about it."