I don’t know why co-passengers stared at me, says Hema

Actress-politician Hema Malini had to travel from Goa to Patna for a dance recital and says she hadn’t bargained for being put in economy class in the flight and 300 pairs of eyes gazing at her.“There was no business class in the flight to Patna. I had to sit in economy. I didn’t mind at all. But the people around me seemed to be very distracted. I was concerned for them,” Hema, who went to Patna Saturday, told IANS.“I don’t know why they needed to stare. You say because I’m beautiful? No. I never believed I was. My mother always taught me to stay grounded. I never started believing I was someone special,” she added.It’s been a hectic time for Hema – she is producing “Tell Me Oh Khuda” for daughter Esha under impossible weather conditions and back-breaking schedules in different parts of the world. Last week she had to rush with her cast and crew to Goa to shoot the carnival there.“The Goa was not supposed to happen now. It came later. But we needed to shoot the carnival which was held from February 13-16. So we preponed the schedule that was to happen later in the year and rushed to Goa last week. Now we’ll have to go back to Goa later,” she said.