Dharmendra Reluctant for 'Seeta Aur Geeta' as Hema Malini Was Star: Javed Akhtar

• Javed Akhtar revealed Dharmendra was initially reluctant to star in 'Seeta Aur Geeta'.
• Dharmendra was reluctant to do 'Seeta Aur Geeta' as it was a heroine-centric film with Hema Malini in a double lead role.
• 'Seeta Aur Geeta' (1972), directed by Ramesh Sippy and written by Salim-Javed, featured Hema Malini in a double role.
• Javed Akhtar also mentioned Dharmendra's role in 'Sholay' and the iconic pairing of Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

Why It Matters: It reveals how star power and gender roles influenced classic Bollywood casting.