Hema Malini, who played the character of 'Basanti' in her 1975 film 'Sholay', has said 'Basanti' "remains a symbol of women's empowerment till this date". "'Basanti' was the first woman character in a Bollywood film who commanded a horse-drawn carriage," added Hema. "When I go in the midst of 70,000 people they want to see 'Basanti' perform," she further said.