Sometimes, real life is stranger than fiction, and so are some love stories. And one of Bollywood’s beloved couples, Dharmendra and Hema Malini, have one such unusual love story that broke all the rules. Married in 1980, the couple is still very much together decades later. Their romance wasn’t just about glitz and glamor — it was about love defying norms, society, and expectations. Yet, what truly intrigues people even today is not just how they fell in love, but why Hema Malini chose to live away from the man she loved so deeply.When Hema Malini’s mother wanted her to marry someone elseIn her biography, ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’, it is revealed that her mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, once tried to convince her to marry actor Jeetendra instead of Dharmendra. The reason? Well, Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and was a father of four!
But destiny had other plans. Hema and Dharmendra first met on the sets of the film ‘Tu Haseen Main Jawan’ in 1970, and cupid soon struck the duo. It wasn’t just attraction — it was a soulful connection. Their bond grew stronger with every film they did together, and before long, they were in love.
“I knew people talked behind my back”After their much public and talked about romance, Dharmendra and Hema Malini took their relationship to the next level by (finally) getting married in 1980. Their relationship was the talk of the town — admired by some, criticized by many. Hema was often labeled as “the other woman.” But as she revealed in the book, none of that changed her heart.“Fingers were pointed. Accusations were flung at us. I knew people discussed me behind my back. (But) I just knew that he made me happy. And all I wanted was happiness,” Hema shared in the biography.She was unapologetically in love — yet deeply aware of the complexities around her. She never tried to justify her choices to the world because, for her, the truth was simple: Her happiness mattered more than public opinion.
Dharmendra living with his first wife
Why Hema never shared a home with DharamendraIn the same biography, Hema also explained why she decided to live separately from Dharmendra. Her choice wasn’t about rebellion — it was about peace and dignity.“I didn’t want to disturb anyone (considering that Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had four children with her). I am happy with whatever Dharam ji did for me and my daughters,” she said.Despite the unconventional setup, Hema never saw herself as lonely. She wasn’t the kind of woman who needed to “keep tabs” on her husband. As she beautifully put it, “I am not a police officer who needs to keep tabs on him. He knows his duty as a father, and I’ve never had to remind him of it.”Her words reflected quiet strength — the grace of a woman who accepted her reality with maturity, not bitterness.“Nobody wants to live like this, but you accept”Hema once also spoke about her unusual marriage with Dharmendra and how she accepted it gracefully. She admitted that her marriage wasn’t the picture-perfect dream she once imagined, but she had made peace with it.“Nobody wants to live like this. But automatically, what happens, you have to accept. I am not sulking about it. I am happy with myself. I have my two children, and I have brought them up well,” she told Lehren Retro in an earlier interview.Her focus was always on her daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol, and ensuring they had a happy, stable upbringing — something she did with quiet strength, even without Dharmendra’s daily presence.Dharmendra’s (unconventional) blended familyDharmendra’s family structure has always been unique. With his first wife Prakash Kaur, he has four children — Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta, and Ajeita. While with his second wife Hema, he shares two daughters, Esha and Ahana.And yet, over the years, the Deol family has managed to find its balance. Hema’s bond with her daughters remains unbreakable, and her relationship with Dharmendra, though unconventional, has endured — built on mutual respect, trust and deep affection.Even today, decades later, Dharmendra and Hema’s story continues to fascinate fans because it speaks to something universal — that sometimes love can be messy, yet beautiful and deeply human all at once.
