Film veteran Dharmendra is an out-and-out family man.
Dharmendra had been married to Prakash Kaur for around six years when he made his acting debut with Arjun Hingorani's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. He married Prakash Kaur at the age of 19. The couple went on to have four children, Sunny Deol (1957), Vijeta Deol (1962), Ajeeta Deol (1966), and Bobby Deol (1969).
In 1980, Dharmendra married Hema Malini, his co-star of films such as Seeta Aur Geeta, Tum Haseen Main Jawan, Sholay, and Dream Girl, while remaining married to Prakash Kaur.
While three of his children -- Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and Esha Deol -- stepped into the film business, his three other daughters Vijeta Deol, Ajeeta Deol, and Ahana Deol stayed away from the limelight. All in all, Dharmendra has a big family, including 13 grandchildren.
Let's get to know the Deol siblings more closely.
Sunny Deol and His Family
Sunny Deol, star of Ghayal, Gadar, and Border, is married to Lynda Deol, also known as Pooja Deol. She belongs to an Anglo-Indian family. Pooja's father, Krishna Dev Mahal, is Indian, while her mother, June Sarah Mahal, is British.
According to reports, Pooja's mother June Sarah is connected to the British Royal family and had a distinguished career, working as a secretary at both Tudor Holdings Limited and Sunny Super Sounds Limited, the latter closely linked to the Deol family's business operations.
Sunny and Pooja have two sons, Karan and Rajveer. Pooja, who has kept a low profile over all these years, was photographed at her elder son Karan's wedding in 2023. Before this family function, she was never spotted at film parties or featured on magazine covers.
Back in the day, there were reports that Sunny and Pooja got married in the UK even before his big debut Betaab released in 1983.
Vijeta Deol
Vijeta Deol, Dharmendra and Prakash Kaur's second child, resides in New Delhi. She is an entrepreneur, serving as the director of Rajkamal Holdings and Trading Private Limited. Vijeta is married to businessman Vivek Gill, and they have two children: daughter Prerna Gill (a writer and editor) and son Sahil Gill.
Dharmendra named his production house Vijayta Films after his daughter Vijeta. The production banner has produced blockbusters such as Sunny Deol's debut Betaab, Bobby Deol's debut Barsaat, and several other hits starring the Deol brothers such as Ghayal, Indian, Dillagi, and Apne.
Ajeeta Deol
Ajeeta lives in California, USA. According to reports, Ajeeta wears multiple hats: she is a psychologist, dentist, teacher, and an academician.
Ajeeta is married and has two daughters, Nikita Chaudhri (a dentist) and Priyanka Chaudhri (a dentist and cosmetologist).
Bobby Deol
Bobby Deol, known for Soldier, Humraaz, and Animal, married stylist Tanya Ahuja Deol in 1996. Tanya is a businesswoman and designer. Bobby and Tanya have two sons, Aryaman and Dharam, who are currently away from films. Aryaman has often accompanied his father to film parties, the most recent being the premiere screening of The Ba**ds of Bollywood.
Esha Deol
Esha Deol, known for films such as Dhoom and Darling, was married to businessman Bharat Takhtani. They have two daughters, Radhya and Miraya. They announced their divorce on February 6, 2024.
Ahana Deol
Ahana Deol's husband is Vaibhav Vohra, also a businessman. They have three children: twin daughters and a son. Ahana is a professional dancer, like her mother Hema Malini.
In a recent interview, Bobby Deol revealed that Dharmendra lives with his first wife Prakash Kaur in his Khandala farm house.
The Animal star's admission came a few years after Hema Malini said she and Dharmendra don't live under the same roof.
In a chat with Lehren Retro in 2023, Hema Malini said, "Nobody wants to be like that; it happens automatically. Every woman wants to have a husband, children, like a normal family. But somewhere, it went out of the way. I am not feeling bad about it. I am happy with myself. I have my two children, and I have brought them up very well."
Dharmendra is a much revered and loved patriarch who heads a big family.