- By Tanya Garg
- Thu, 20 Nov 2025 05:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, long before he experienced popularity at the age of 19. It was an arranged marriage based on family values, cultural traditions, and his life prior to the calling of cinema. The veteran actor and Prakash Kaur had four kids together. The demands of the film industry altered the pace of their life as Dharmendra's career took off. Hema Malini, the Dream Girl of Indian cinema, captivated him. However, when he met her, the Sholay actor was already married. Now, Prakash Kaur wasn't prepared to divorce her Dharmendra when when he and Hema Malini wanted to get married.
Dharmendra reportedly converted to Islam and married Hema Malini in order to maintain both of his wives. Esha Deol and Ahaana Deol were the couple's subsequent daughters. Did you know that Esha didn't realize her father was already married?
Dharmendra's elder daughter Esha found out about it from one of her classmates in standard four. According to Ram Kamal Mukherjee's account of Hema Malini, Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, the Dhoom actor discussed it and recalled her classmate asking her, "You have two moms, right?"
Esha Deol, perplexed by her classmates' question, retorted - "I immediately snapped back at my classmate, saying, 'What rubbish! I have only one mother'."
ALSO READ - Esha Deol Met Dharmendra’s First Wife Prakash Kaur After 30 Years: ‘Touched Her Feet…’
Esha Deol went home and asked her mother about her friend's query because she was curious about it. It was then that Hema informed Esha about Dharmendra's first marriage. "The moment I reached home, I told my mom that a friend was asking me this question. I think it was at that point of time that my mom decided to tell me the truth. Imagine, we were in the fourth standard and had no idea about anything. Nowadays kids are much smarter."
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Esha Deol continued, "So, that was when I understood that my mother had married someone who was already married to another lady and that they also had a family. But frankly speaking, I never felt bad about it. Till today, I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. And I give full credit to my parents for not making us ever feel uncomfortable."
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Many people blamed Hema for Dharmendra's marriage. In addition to being referred to as the 'other woman,' she was blamed for dissolving Dharmendra's family. The veteran actpr lived with his first wife, Prakash, and their children, while Hema decided to live with her daughters, Esha and Ahaana, because she didn't want to upset anyone.
Even though Hema knew her marriage to Dharmendra was unusual, she chose to ignore it. In her memoirs, Hema discussed how Dharmendra always performed his responsibilities as a husband and father even if he did not live with them.