India’s first stunt woman who performed action among men, became the body-double of Hema Malini and Rekha

Almost 44 years ago, ‘Sholay’ hit the big screen and changed the cinematic experience for all of us. Made under the direction of Ramesh Sippy, this film featured superstars like Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan. But apart from him/her, there were some real stars in the film whom some of us might not know about. The woman we are talking about was in the film but in the role of Hema Malini’s body double. Yes, that is Reshma Pathan, who played Hema Malini’s body-double and performed all her action scenes flawlessly. Today in ‘Saturday Superstar’ we are telling about the first stunt woman of Bollywood. Reshma Pathan is the first stunt woman of India, who worked as body double of many heroines like Meena Kumari, Dimple Kapadia, Hema Malini, Sridevi and Rekha. Is. Born in an orthodox Muslim family, Reshma was the eldest among her five siblings. At the age of 14, she became the breadwinner for her family as her father was unwell and unable to work.

India’s first stunt woman

Reshma’s neighbor was a stunt director, he/she knew about her difficult circumstances, so he/she offered her to become a stunt woman. his/her father refused because he/she was afraid for his/her safety. Reshma’s aim was to earn money so that her family could live a decent life.

Broke the stereotypes by coming among men

Despite all this, Reshma entered the male-dominated profession and broke all the stereotypes. In 1968, he/she did his/her first stunt for actress Lakshmi Chhaya in the film ‘Ek Khiladi Bavab Patte’. It was a dance sequence in which the actress gives tips and walks off the stage. Reshma Pathan did stunts in one take, which strengthened her career.

Became ‘The Sholay Girl’

Later, he/she worked with many A-list actresses. She has done body doubles for many heroines, but her acting as a duplicate of Hema Malini in ‘Sholay’ is still considered famous.

Retired Reshma is now a ‘day player’

Reshma spent so many years as an unknown face on the big screen. After this, a biopic named ‘The Sholay Girl’ was made and released on ZEE5 in 2019. This film shows his/her courageous spirit and the hard work he/she put behind this profession. Currently, Reshma has retired as a stunt woman and works as a day player in the industry.