Bollywood legend Dharmendra married his first wife, Prakash Kaur, in 1954 at the age of 19. The couple share four children—Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, who are both well-known Bollywood actors, and two daughters, Vijeta and Ajieta. In 1980, Dharmendra tied the knot with beautiful actress Hema Malini, the iconic “Dream Girl” of Bollywood, with whom he has two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol.
In her biography Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, written by journalist-filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee, Hema revealed that she has never met Dharmendra’s first wife, Prakash Kaur, since her marriage with Dharmendra. From the beginning, Hema was clear about not interfering with Dharmendra’s family life, choosing to keep her distance out of respect for the existing family dynamic.
Despite crossing paths with Prakash Kaur at social events before her marriage to Dharmendra, Hema has never visited Dharmendra’s home or met his first wife since.
Hema Malini once said, “I didn’t want to disturb anyone. I am happy with whatever Dharamji did for me and my daughters. He played the role of a father, like any father would do. I guess I am happy with that. Today I am a working woman and I have been able to maintain my dignity because I have devoted my life to art and culture. Though I have never spoken about Prakash, I respect her a lot. Even my daughters respect Dharamji’s family. The world wants to know about my life in detail, but that is not for others to know. It’s no one’s business.”
Esha Deol, Hema Malini’s daughter, is reportedly the only one from her family who has visited Dharmendra’s house. When Dharmendra’s younger brother, Ajit Singh Deol, was unwell and bedridden, Esha visited him, eager to see her uncle and provide support during his illness.
Have you read Hema Malini’s biography?
