This woman and not Hema Malini did all action scenes of ‘Basanti’ in Sholay, was also a body-double of Meena Kumari, Sridevi, she was India’s first…

Today, we will talk about the first stuntwoman in India, who played the body double for Hema Malini in Ramesh Sippy's Sholay.

Many Bollywood movie scripts demand heavy action stunts for both actors and actresses. While in some films, actors and actresses perform these stunts themselves, in others, stuntmen and stuntwomen are hired. While having a stuntman is common, in the 70s, having a stuntwoman was a big deal.

Today, we will talk about the first stuntwoman in India, who played the body double for Hema Malini in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. If you are wondering who we are talking about, then the first stuntwoman in Bollywood is Reshma Pathan.

Apart from Hema, Reshma has been the body double for several heroines like Meena Kumari, Dimple Kapadia, Sridevi, and Rekha. Born into a conservative Muslim family, Reshma was the eldest of five siblings. At just 14, she became the family’s breadwinner after her father fell ill and could no longer work.

A neighbor of Reshma, aware of her financial struggles, suggested she become a stuntwoman. The man, a stunt director, encouraged Reshma to take up the job. However, her father initially refused, fearing for her safety. But in order to earn more money and support her family, she eventually accepted the offer.

Despite working in a male-dominated profession, Reshma never lost hope. She broke all stereotypes, and in 1968, she performed her first stunt in the film Ek Khiladi Bawan Patte for actress Laxmi Chaya.

Over the years, she served as a body double for several heroines, but it was her act as Hema Malini’s double in Sholay that brought her immense fame and recognition. Since then, Reshma has been regarded as legendary.

After years of being the unseen face behind the scenes, Reshma’s journey was brought to life in a biopic titled The Sholay Girl, which premiered on ZEE5 in 2019. The film highlights her fearless spirit and the immense hard work she put into this profession.