Veteran actress and BJP politician Hema Malini stepped out to cast her vote for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election 2026 in Mumbai on Thursday (January 15). After casting her vote, Hema posed for paps and also interacted with them. She also reacted to trolls who slammed her a few days back for not smiling and having a cold expression while presenting medals at a sports event.
Earlier today, Hema flaunted her inked finger after voting and told paps, "I am smiling, okay? Now don’t complain that I don’t smile."
Check out her video here:
This comes days after the actress-turned-politician found herself at the receiving end of social media criticism following the circulation of a video from a sports event in Mathura. The viral clip showed the BJP MP presenting medals at an MP Sports Competition, but it sparked online backlash, with netizens questioning her body language during the ceremony.
In the footage, recorded on January 12, Hema is seen distributing medals to student participants with a composed and neutral expression. She neither smiled nor engaged in congratulating or shaking hands with the winners. This led several social media users to accuse her of appearing distant and lacking warmth.
As the video surfaced, some users defended the actor-politician while others criticised her demeanour.
Meanwhile, earlier today, one voter confronted Hema and criticised her for allegedly receiving preferential treatment during the voting process in Mumbai.
As Hema stepped out of the voting booth and began interacting with the media, a Mumbai voter approached her and expressed anger over the situation at the polling centre. The man claimed that he had arrived to vote at around 7.30 am but did not get a chance to cast his vote until 9.30 am.
"There is chaos for the first time," the voter said. As Hema assured him that his concerns would be conveyed, he added, "Nobody is answerable. Nobody is accountable."
Visibly shaken by the backlash, Hema asked a member of her team to step in. The voter continued to call her out, stating that despite being a BJP worker, she was unable to ensure better arrangements for voters.
BMC Elections 2026 polling began from 7:30 am onwards on Thursday, January 15, and will continue until 5:30 pm the same day. Voting is being held in a single phase across all wards. The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on Friday, January 16.
