Esha Deol, the daughter of Bollywood legends Hema Malini and Dharmendra, recently revealed how she found out about her father’s other family when she was in the fourth grade. In Hema Malini’s biography Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, Esha shared her experience of learning that her father was already married to another woman, Prakash Kaur, and had four children from that marriage, including actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
Esha Deol, known for her roles in films like Dhoom, spoke about how her parents managed to raise her in a way that allowed her to feel secure, despite Dharmendra’s dual responsibilities between his two families.
Discovering her Father’s first marriage
In the biography, Esha recounted the moment when a schoolmate questioned her about having two mothers. Esha was in fourth grade at the time, and the query came as a shock. “You have two moms, right?” a classmate asked, leaving young Esha confused. She responded, “What rubbish! I have only one mother,” and rushed home to clarify the situation with her mother, Hema Malini.
It was then that Hema revealed the truth to Esha. She explained that Dharmendra had been married to another woman, Prakash Kaur, and had a family before marrying her in 1980. Dharmendra and Hema went on to have two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. Despite the complexity of the situation, Esha said she didn’t feel upset or troubled by the revelation.
“Nowadays, kids are much smarter,” Esha reflected, explaining how unaware she and her classmates were of such matters back then. “Imagine, we were in the fourth standard and had no idea about anything.”
Handling the situation with maturity
Esha’s reaction to the revelation was one of calm understanding. She noted that even after learning about her father’s dual life, she never harbored any negative feelings about the situation. “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,” she said.
Esha gave full credit to her parents for handling the delicate situation with grace, ensuring that neither she nor her sister Ahana ever felt uncomfortable or neglected. Hema Malini and Dharmendra, despite their unconventional family setup, managed to provide a loving environment for their daughters.
Dharmendra’s absence and Hema’s strong presence
Esha also talked about how Dharmendra was not always present in their lives, as he split his time between his first family and Hema Malini’s household. “He would always be there for us, but he never stayed back most of the time,” Esha revealed. She explained that she and her sister were content with their mother’s constant presence and didn’t feel the lack of a father’s regular involvement.
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“When I was younger, I used to go to my friends’ houses where I would see both parents being around. That’s when I realized that it’s normal to have dads around too. But somehow, we were groomed in a way that it didn’t affect me much,” she explained. Esha added that she had a deep bond with both her parents, saying, “I was very content with my mother and I loved my father.”
Esha Deol’s personal life
In addition to these reflections on her childhood, Esha has also made headlines recently for her personal life. In February 2024, she announced her divorce from Bharat Takhtani, ending their marriage after 11 years. The couple, who tied the knot in 2012, have two daughters together. While Esha has remained private about the reasons behind their separation, she continues to focus on her career and family.
Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s unique journey
Dharmendra’s marriage to Hema Malini is often described as one of Bollywood’s most enduring love stories, despite the complexities of his prior commitments. He married Hema while still being legally married to Prakash Kaur, refusing to divorce his first wife out of respect for his children. Hema and Dharmendra have both spoken about their love and respect for one another over the years, even though they chose to live separately.
Esha Deol’s candid account of growing up in a non-traditional family structure highlights the strength of her parents’ parenting and the love they ensured she felt throughout her life.
