“I have earned a lot of name and fame in the film industry. There are so many fans. They used to call me to attend public functions with so much love, so I thought I must give something back.

The 75-year-old served as a Rajya Sabha member from 2004 to 2009 and was appointed party’s general secretary in 2010. Back in 1999, she had campaigned for late film star Vinod Khanna, the BJP MP from Gurdaspur, Punjab.

In the 2014 general elections for the Lok Sabha, Hema Malini defeated the Mathura incumbent, Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) and was then elected to the Lok Sabha. She retained the seat in the 2019 general elections, and in 2024, she once again retained her seat to become the three-time sitting MP from Mathura.

As the MP of Mathura, the holy city and birthplace of Lord Krishna, Hema Malini said she wants to develop her constituency as an “international tourist destination”.

Also a Padma Shri recipient, the actor-politician currently serves as the brand ambassador of Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad.

Hema Malini, a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, said a lot of options for the entertainment of the tourists are being developed so that they not only visit the temples in Mathura but also learn about the reasons behind the city’s popularity.