Bold truth often arrives with family secrets: Dharmendra’s first marriage to Prakash Kaur was a public controversy, but for his daughters, the reality stayed largely unseen — until a schoolyard question forced the truth into light. Esha Deol recalls learning that her father was already married while she was in the fourth grade, and the moment a classmate asked, “You have two moms, right?” shattered her certainty. She immediately defended her family, insisting, “What rubbish! I have only one mother.” Yet the question lingered, prompting a heartfelt conversation at home. In Hema Malini’s biography, Esha shares how her mother finally explained the situation. She explained that her father had married someone who already had a family, which was something neither daughter had anticipated in their young lives. Esha reflects that, in those early years, she and her sister Ahana didn’t fully grasp the complexity of their father’s past, but their parents chose honesty over discomfort, shaping their upbringing with openness and acceptance.
Despite discovering this history, Esha says she never felt disappointed. She believes there is nothing inherently wrong with her father’s past, and she credits her parents for making sure the children never felt uneasy about it. Her memories also include nights when her father wasn’t home, even though they shared dinner together. She notes that seeing families with both parents around at friends’ houses made her realize what some consider normal, but her own family’s dynamic felt familiar and steady. She valued both parents deeply and grew up content with the love she received from her mother and her father alike.
Dharmendra passed away on November 24 after a long life marked by age-related health issues. A prayer gathering followed, organized by his first wife, Prakash Kaur, and his sons Sunny and Bobby Deol. The event was notably attended by some relatives, while Hema Malini and her daughters, Esha and Ahana, did not participate. Later reports indicated that Hema Malini arranged religious observances at her home in Dharmendra’s memory, including a Gita paath and bhajan evening, underscoring how families choose different ways to honor a life well lived while navigating complex histories.
