Dharmendra's family dynamics with his first wife Prakash Kaur, and second wife Hema Malini have always intrigued fans across generations. In her memoir, Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, the film veteran spoke about her equation with Prakash Kaur and when her elder daughter Esha came to know about the family situation.
What's Happening
The Deol family dynamics hit headlines again after Prakash Kaur's old comment went viral where she said any man would have preferred Hema Malini over her.
In her memoir, Hema Malini said she has never visited her husband's original house in Juhu, though her bungalow is only a few metres away.
However, Esha paid a visit to her father's original house when her uncle, Ajit, fell seriously ill. This was the first time she had visited her in 30 years. This is when she first came across Prakash Kaur. "I touched her feet, she blessed me and I walked away," she said.
In her memoir, Hema also reflected on the complicated family set up.
Requesting for privacy and asserting not everything to be discussed in public, Hema Malini said, "I didn't want to disturb anyone. I am happy with whatever Dharamji did for me and my daughters. He played the role of a father, like any father would do. I guess I am happy with that.
"Today I am a working woman and I have been able to maintain my dignity because I have devoted my life to art and culture. I guess, if the situation was even slightly different from this, I wouldn't be what I am today. Though I have never spoken about Prakash, I respect her a lot. Even my daughters respect Dharamji's family. The world wants to know about my life in detail, but that is not for others to know. It's no one's business."
In the same book, Esha Deol talked about how she reacted when she came to know about her father's two wives.
"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," she said in Hema's biography.
