When Hema Malini revealed how Dharmendra's mother secretly came to meet her: ‘She hadn’t informed anyone…’
Hema Malini, who was married to Dharmendra for 45 long years, once revealed how her mother-in-law secretly came to meet her after Esha was born
Veteran actor Hema Malini has often shared glimpses of her personal life with the late Dharmendra, with whom she shared nearly 45 years of marriage. The couple shared a loving relationship until Dharmendra’s death on November 24 this year, at the age of 89.
The two tied the knot in 1980, despite the unconventional nature of their relationship since Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had four children from his first marriage. Together, Hema and Dharmendra had two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. Among the many memories Hema holds dear from their life together is her first meeting with Dharmendra’s mother, Satwant Kaur.
Hema's loving meeting with Dharmendra's mom
In her biography Hema Malini: Beyond The Dream Girl, written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, the actor recalled one of her meetings with Dharmendra’s mother, Satwant Kaur. The encounter, which took place after Hema conceived their first daughter Esha, left a deep impression on her.
“Dharamji’s mother Satwant Kaur was equally warm and kind-hearted. I remember how she came to meet me once at a dubbing studio in Juhu after I had conceived Esha. She hadn’t informed anyone in the house. I touched her feet, and she hugged me and said, ‘Beta, khush raho hamesha (Be happy always).’ I was happy that they were happy with me,” Hema wrote.
According to the actor, Satwant's visit was unannounced — a quiet, affectionate gesture that spoke volumes of her acceptance. While Hema never interacted much with Dharmendra’s first family, this meeting remained a cherished memory.
Fond memories of Dharmendra’s father
Hema also fondly remembered Dharmendra’s father, Kewal Kishan Singh Deol, describing him as a jovial man who shared a friendly bond with her own family. She recalled how he would visit her father, V.S. Ramanujam Chakravarthy, and engage in lighthearted arm-wrestling matches.
“He would drop by and meet my father or brother for chai. Instead of shaking hands, he would arm-wrestle them, and after defeating them he would jokingly say, ‘Tum log ghee-makkhan-lassi khao, idli aur sambhar se taqat nahi aati (Have butter, lassi, ghee. Idli and sambhar won’t make you strong). My father would join in the laughter. He (Dharmendra’s father) was a very jovial person,” she recalled.
Remembering Dharmendra
Dharmendra’s death in November this year left the Hindi film industry in mourning. The 89-year-old actor passed away at his Juhu residence after a prolonged illness. In her first post after his passing, Hema Malini wrote a heartfelt tribute on social media, calling him her “loving husband, adoring father, friend, philosopher, guide, and poet.” She added, “He was everything to me... My personal loss is indescribable and the vacuum created is something that will last through the rest of my life.”
Dharmendra’s funeral at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai was attended by several Bollywood legends, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan.
