hema malini husband
Introduction
Hema Malini’s husband was Dharmendra, an Indian actor, producer, and politician born on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali, Punjab. Hema Malini, famously called the “Dream Girl” of Bollywood, is one of Indian cinema’s most iconic actresses and a sitting Member of Parliament from Mathura.
She and Dharmendra were married in 1980 after starring together in over two dozen films, and remained married for 45 years until his death on November 24, 2025, at age 89. This article covers everything you need to know about Dharmendra — his early life, his legendary film career, his love story with Hema Malini, their marriage, their children, and the legacy he left behind.
Who Is Dharmendra?
Dharmendra Singh Deol was born on December 8, 1935, in Nasrali, a village near Ludhiana in Punjab, British India. He came from a Sikh family; his father, Kewal Kishan Singh Deol, worked as a school headmaster, and his mother was Satwant Kaur. He grew up in modest surroundings in rural Punjab before moving toward a career in cinema.
Dharmendra completed his early education locally and studied at Ramgarhia College in Phagwara, affiliated with Panjab University, Chandigarh. As a young man, he was known for his athletic build and striking looks, which later helped shape his screen image.
He entered the film industry after winning a Filmfare talent contest in the late 1950s, which brought him to Mumbai (then Bombay) to pursue acting. He held Indian citizenship throughout his life and became one of the most recognizable faces in Hindi cinema for over six decades. Before rising to fame, Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, and the couple had four children together — a fact that later became central to the controversy surrounding his second marriage to Hema Malini.
Dharmendra’s Career & Professional Life
Dharmendra made his acting debut in 1960 with the film Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere. Early in his career, he was cast primarily in romantic roles, but he later transitioned into action films, earning the nickname “He-Man of Bollywood” for his rugged screen persona. His breakout hit, Phool Aur Paththar (1966), established him as one of the most sought-after leading men of the 1960s and 1970s.
Over a career spanning 65 years, Dharmendra appeared in more than 300 films, holding the record for starring in the highest number of hit films in Hindi cinema history. His most iconic role came in the 1975 blockbuster Sholay, still considered one of the greatest Hindi films ever made.
Other notable works include Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, Dillagi, and Pratigya. He shared memorable on-screen chemistry with several leading actresses, but his pairing with Hema Malini — across 27 films including Seeta Aur Geeta, Dream Girl, and The Burning Train — remains his most celebrated.
Beyond acting, Dharmendra founded the production house Vijayta Films and briefly entered politics, serving as a Member of Parliament for Bikaner, Rajasthan, from 2004 to 2009 as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012. In 2026, he was posthumously honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
His estimated net worth at the time of his passing was around $70 million (approximately Rs 500+ crore), built through his decades-long film career, production ventures, and real estate holdings, including a farmhouse in Lonavala and a bungalow in Mumbai’s Juhu neighborhood.
How Did Hema Malini and Dharmendra Meet?
Hema Malini and Dharmendra first met on the sets of the film Tu Haseen Main Jawan in the early 1970s. At the time, Dharmendra was already an established star and was married to Prakash Kaur, with whom he had four children. Hema Malini, more than a decade younger, was a rising actress building her own fan base.
Their on-screen partnership in films throughout the early 1970s gradually turned into real-life affection. According to Hema Malini’s biography, Beyond the Dream Girl, she had also received marriage proposals from actors Jeetendra and Sanjeev Kumar during this period, but her feelings for Dharmendra remained unchanged. Their relationship became the subject of intense media and public scrutiny, since Indian law did not permit a Hindu man to remarry while his first wife was still living.
To be together, Hema Malini and Dharmendra reportedly converted to Islam in 1979, taking the names Aisha Bi and Dilawar Khan, which allowed them to marry under Islamic personal law without Dharmendra divorcing Prakash Kaur. This decision drew significant public criticism at the time, as it meant Hema Malini would not hold the legal status of “wife” under traditional Hindu marriage norms. Despite the controversy, she chose to move forward with the relationship.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Hema Malini and Dharmendra got married in 1980, following their conversion and private nikah ceremony. The marriage was low-key compared to typical Bollywood weddings of the era, largely because of the sensitive legal and social circumstances surrounding it. Unlike a conventional Hindu wedding, there was no large public ceremony; the marriage was solemnized quietly given Dharmendra’s existing marriage to Prakash Kaur.
The couple went on to mark their anniversary each year on May 2, often sharing photos and heartfelt notes on social media. On one anniversary, Hema Malini wrote that she was “truly blessed” for the years of happiness and family they built together.
Reports have noted that the couple maintained separate primary residences for much of their marriage — Hema Malini in her Mumbai bungalow and Dharmendra dividing time between Mumbai and his farmhouse — while still remaining a devoted couple for 45 years, right up until his passing in November 2025.
Children & Family Life
Hema Malini and Dharmendra had two daughters together: Esha Deol, born in 1981, and Ahana Deol, born in 1985. Esha Deol followed her parents into Bollywood and became a well-known actress in her own right, while Ahana Deol trained as a classical Odissi dancer and has stayed largely out of the film industry.
Dharmendra also had four children from his first marriage to Prakash Kaur: sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, both prominent Bollywood actors, and daughters Ajeeta Chaudhri and Vijayta Gill.
This blended family structure made Dharmendra’s household one of the most talked-about in Indian film circles, with the Deol family remaining a fixture in Bollywood across generations, including grandchildren such as Sunny Deol’s son, actor Karan Deol. Despite the unconventional nature of his two marriages, Dharmendra was known to maintain relationships with children from both families.
Dharmendra on Social Media
In his later years, Dharmendra was active on social media, particularly on Instagram and Twitter/X, where he shared updates about his farm life, poetry, old film memories, and family moments. He built a large following of fans who admired both his film legacy and his down-to-earth online presence, often posting in a mix of Hindi and English with characteristic warmth and humor.
Hema Malini, who remains active on social media under the handle @dreamgirlhema, has continued to share tributes and memories of their decades together since his passing, and his social profiles remain a place where fans still pay their respects.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dharmendra Singh Deol |
| Date of Birth | December 8, 1935 |
| Date of Death | November 24, 2025 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Actor, Film Producer, Politician |
| Married to | Hema Malini |
| Marriage Year | 1980 |
| Children | Esha Deol, Ahana Deol (with Hema Malini); Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Ajeeta Chaudhri, Vijayta Gill (with Prakash Kaur) |
| Net Worth (est.) | Around $70 million |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is Hema Malini’s husband? A: Hema Malini’s husband was Dharmendra, a veteran Bollywood actor, producer, and former Member of Parliament. The couple married in 1980 and remained married until his death in November 2025.
Q: How old was Dharmendra? A: Dharmendra was born on December 8, 1935, and passed away on November 24, 2025, at the age of 89, just two weeks before his 90th birthday.
Q: What did Dharmendra do for a living? A: Dharmendra was one of Bollywood’s most successful actors, appearing in over 300 films across a 65-year career. He also produced films through his company Vijayta Films and served as a Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2009.
Q: When did Hema Malini and Dharmendra get married? A: Hema Malini and Dharmendra got married in 1980, after converting to Islam the previous year so Dharmendra could marry her without divorcing his first wife, Prakash Kaur.
Q: How many kids do Hema Malini and Dharmendra have? A: Hema Malini and Dharmendra had two daughters together, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Dharmendra also had four children — Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Ajeeta Chaudhri, and Vijayta Gill — from his first marriage.
Conclusion
Dharmendra, Hema Malini’s husband of 45 years, was far more than a Bollywood legend — he was the “He-Man” of Indian cinema, a devoted father to six children across two families, and, according to those who knew him, a genuinely warm-hearted man both on and off screen. His unconventional love story with Hema Malini, which began on a film set and endured decades of public scrutiny, became one of Bollywood’s most enduring real-life romances.
Following his passing in November 2025, tributes poured in from across India, honoring both his six-decade film career and the life he built with Hema Malini. As Hema Malini continues her public and political career, Dharmendra’s legacy as her husband and one of Indian cinema’s greatest stars remains firmly intact.
