Charming and beautiful as ever, Hema Malini the Dream Girl of Bollywood continues to turn eyes now as she did at the peak of her acting career and popularity.

Hema, who celebrates her 58th birthday on Monday, still dazzles with her smile and poise and, of course, her large and beautiful dark eyes. As an actor, the Basanti of Hindi films has charmed millions over a nearly 40-year-career with her spontaneous emoting and vivaciousness.

A highly dedicated Bharatanatyam dancer, Hema made a comeback into films with the 2003 super-hit family drama "Baghban" as superstar Amitabh Bachchan's wife.

She has been flooded with film offers since, and is working on two major projects - Hindi film "Baabul" and Bhojpuri film "Ganga" - opposite Amitabh.

She is also planning to direct a film with daughter Esha and Rekha, another Bollywood diva who turned 52 last week and whose charm abides even today.

Born in Tamil Nadu into a Brahmin Iyenagar family, Hema decided to try her luck in films after completing her education from the Andhra Mahila Sabha in Chennai.

But her beginnings in the big bad world of films were disappointing as she was showed the door by Tamil director Sridhar, who felt her face lacked star appeal.

Jolted by the rejection, Hema took it as a challenge to make her mark in the profession at a bigger level and went to Mumbai to try her luck in Bollywood.

She landed her first role with none other than Raj Kapoor, the showman of those times, in a movie called "Sapnon Ka Saudagar" in 1968.

Though her debut movie did not do well at the box-office, she was noticed and offered roles in movies like "Jahan Pyar Mile" and "Waris" in 1969, "Aansoo Aur Muskan", "Abhinetri" and "Anjana" and "Sharafat" in 1970 before her first big break in the form of "Johny Mera Naam" in the same year with legendary actor Dev Anand.

The movie went on to become a huge hit and catapulted Hema in the top league of actresses. She became one of the most sought after in Bollywood with her applauding performances in "Lal Pathar", "Andaaz" and "Tere Mere Sapne".

She also formed a hugely successful pairing with Dharmendera, and the two gave a string of hits together - "Naya Zamana" (1971), "Raja Jani" (1972), "Seeta Aur Geeta" (1972), "Jugnu" and "Sholay" to name a few.

The on-screen romance sneaked into their real lives too and Hema tied the knot with Dharmendra. They have two daughters - Esha and Ahana.

"Though I love Dharam-ji very much, it's my misfortune that he hasn't been with me to watch our daughters grow up, and to give me company. So, yes, I do miss a man by my side. But then I've so much to keep me occupied. There's hardly ever any time to feel lonely," she once told film journalist Subhash K. Jha in an unguarded moment.

When Hema came on Zee TV's talk show "Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai", Dharmendra complimented her and said: "Hema is the most beautiful woman of Indian celluloid."

Ramesh Sippy's 1975 blockbuster "Sholay" gave her the biggest hit of her lifetime. The movie, in which she was paired opposite her real life husband Dharmendra, went on to become one of the biggest hits in the history of Indian cinema and her screen name 'Basanti' became synonymous with her since then.

After playing glamorous roles in mainstream movies, Hema moved on to offbeat roles with Gulzar's "Khushboo" and surprised everyone with her superb performance.

"When I worked with Hema Malini, I realised she was a director's dream," Gulzar was quoted as saying about the actress who became a permanent fixture in his films then. He repeated her in "Kinara", "Ek Chadar Maili Si", "Meera" and "Lekin".

The actress started cutting down her film assignments after the birth of her two daughters. Slowly, she made an exit from showbiz to look after them and focus on her dancing. She did several stage shows, and to promote the dance she produced a popular serial "Noopur" for state-owned Doordarshan channel in which she played the main lead.

Hema also tried her hand at direction with "Dil Ashna Hai", starring Shah Rukh Khan, a raw newcomer then, and actress Divya Bharati in the main leads.

From acting, dancing and directing, she slowly made progress to enter the corridors of power. She was nominated as Rajya Sabha Member by the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2003.

She is currently busy with several social organisations.