Esha Deol Reveals She Learned About Dharmendra’s First Marriage in Class 4
Veteran actor Dharmendra’s personal life has long been a subject of public curiosity, and a major chapter resurfaced through an anecdote shared in Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl. The book recounts how Dharmendra’s elder daughter, Esha Deol, first discovered that her father was already married when he married her mother, Hema Malini.
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, at just 19, in an arranged marriage that reflected the cultural values of the time. The couple had four children together. But as Dharmendra’s career soared and he became one of India’s most celebrated stars, his equation with co-star and Dream Girl Hema Malini grew deeper. Since Prakash Kaur was unwilling to divorce him, Dharmendra reportedly converted to Islam to legally marry Hema while remaining married to Prakash.
Hema and Dharmendra went on to have two daughters, Esha and Ahaana Deol, but their household dynamics remained separate. Hema chose to live independently with her daughters, ensuring she did not disrupt Dharmendra’s first family.
According to the biography, Esha Deol discovered this truth in an unexpected way—through a classmate.
In the book, Esha recalls a moment from standard four, when a school friend casually asked, “You have two moms, right?”
Shocked, Esha immediately shut down the claim, replying, “What rubbish! I have only one mother.”
She later went home and questioned Hema Malini out of confusion. That evening, Hema gently explained the reality of Dharmendra’s first marriage.
Esha said:
“I think that was when my mom decided to tell me the truth. We were so young and had no idea. But I never felt bad about it. Even today, I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. My parents never made us feel uncomfortable.”
Over the years, Hema Malini faced criticism, often labelled “the other woman” and blamed for disrupting Dharmendra’s marriage. Despite public judgment, Hema maintained dignity, choosing to live separately while acknowledging the complexity of her circumstances. She has always emphasized that Dharmendra fulfilled his responsibilities as a husband and father, even if he didn’t live with them.
The story highlights a complicated family equation navigated with maturity by all involved — especially by Esha, who admires her parents for handling it with sensitivity.