, a talkative and spirited carriage driver, her performance became one of the most recognizable in Indian cinema history. Dream Girl

The rain sequence in Jugnu (1973) . No write-up is complete without their real-life romance spilling onto film. The song “Ruk Jaana Nahin” in Jugnu , or the playful “Chura Liya” in Yaadon Ki Baaraat , features scenes of such relaxed, genuine intimacy that they feel like stolen home videos. Their eye-lock in a rain-soaked alley in Jugnu is one of Bollywood’s most enduring romantic freeze-frames.

Her various disguises and the performance of the title song "Dream Girl Kisi Shayar Ki Gazal," which defined her screen persona. Razia Sultan

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Hema Malini consistently avoided performing in explicit or "hot" sex scenes

Whether she was cracking a whip as Basanti or portraying the quiet dignity of a mother in Baghban , Hema Malini remains the gold standard for elegance in Indian cinema.