6 Things Most Movie Buffs Don’t Know About The Epic Love Story Of Hema Malini And Dharmendra

Is there any body in India, as well as abroad, who does not know about the most talked-about love story of Hema Malini and Dharmendra? The answer is a straight no. Theirs was the most speculated and interrogated love story that the tinsel town in India had seen. The two were the screen heartthrobs for many people across the country, be it in the industry or out of it. Hema Malini was the ‘dream girl’ everyone wanted to date and Dharmendra was the macho man of Indian cinema. Their love story had to be a unique one. Here are few things you probably did not know about their love story:

6. A Heart-broken and Alcoholic Sanjeev Kumar

The 70s were filled with rumours about Sanjeev Kumar proposing to Hema Malini. That was actually a true story. Sanjeev Kumar had proposed to Hema Malini which she had blatantly refused in front of him because she was then dating Dharmendra. It was on the sets of the film Sholay that Sanjeev Kumar kept his proposal. Reports have it that out of anger he persuaded the director, Ramesh Sippy, to not create any scene with him and Hema Malini. It is said that a hurt and dejected Sanjeev Kumar took to extreme alcohol addiction which resulted in his declining health and eventual death from a heart-attack. Not everyone took Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s affair to delight.

5. Jeetendra the Middleman and later the Lover

It is said that Sanjeev Kumar was using Jeetendra to convey his heartfelt feelings to the ‘dream girl’. Indeed, Jeetendra was actually doing this job of being a middleman between the two. But, all hell broke loose when he himself fell for the beautiful actress. Things took a Bollywood-like turn when Jeetendra almost wanting to marry Hema when a phone call made him retreat to Shobha, his wife, with whom he got married. Hema Malini much later recalled how she was quite fond of Jeetendra and that they were almost getting married. Jeetendra was simply no match to the charismatic Dharmendra.

4. Conversion To Another Religion, Islam

Both Hema Malini and Dharmendra had to convert to Islam for getting married. Dharmendra’s first wife Prakash Kaur had denied giving a divorce and therefore he had to change to Islam which allows more than one marriage for a man. Hence Hema Malini too had to convert to get married to him. This really shows that both were madly in love with each other to do something which was much not prevalent in society.

3. Dharmendra Was Already Married With Two Sons

Dharmendra, as mentioned above, was married to Prakash Kaur and had two sons with her, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. It is said that she did not want to sign a divorce between the two and was deeply hurt at his relationship with Hema Malini. Even after Dharmendra’s marriage with Hema Malini, he still keeps balance between two families. One is with Prakash and the two sons and with Hema and the two daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.

2. Rift between the two Deol Families

The two families mentioned here is that of Dharmendra’s first and second wife. Prakash and her sons never really liked Hema Malini. Though reports say that, Sunny and Bobby, are quite friendly with their half-sisters Esha and Ahana. The two daughters got married recently where both Sunny and Bobby were invited by Hema Malini yet they failed to turn up which showcases a rift underneath to still exist. The sons are reportedly very close to their mother and therefore probably are not at a good equation with the other Deol family.

1. Unhappy Parents of Hema Malini

Since Dharmendra was already married with two sons, Hema Malini’s father was not okay about accepting their marriage. Apart from a much older married man, converting to another religion was also strictly denied by him. But this did not stop them from planning marriage with each other. Therefore, after the death of her father Hema Malini tied the knot with Dharmendra. This grieved her mother to a great extent.