Hema Malini’s mother wasn’t in favour of her decision to marry Dharmendra. Instead, he had another actor in her mind, who she was impressed with. His name was…

Hema Malini, widely known as Bollywood’s ‘Dream Girl’, captivated fans with her admirable beauty and impeccable acting skills. Married to her Sholay co-star Dharmendra, the couple have two children- Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Did you know Hema Malini’s mother wasn’t in favour of her decision to marry Dharmendra, as he was already married at the time? Instead, he had another actor in her mind, who she was impressed with and wanted him to be her son-in-law.

Jaya Chakravarthy, Hema Malini’s mother, was a producer and a costume designer for popular films like Dream Girl (1977), Swami (1977), and Dillagi (1978). Jaya desired to be a dancer, but couldn’t pursue her dreams, so she made sure to experience vicariously through her daughter and made her a superstar.

According to reports, before Dharmendra, Hema Malini was reportedly in love with Sanjeev Kumar and even planned to marry him and settle down. However, their relationship ended due to contrasting opinions, with Kumar’s family asking her to give up acting. Later, Hema fell in love with Dharmendra, but her family was against their relationship due to his first marriage with Prakash Kaur. His parents opposed the idea of marrying a man who was already married and had children.

In the 250th issue of Mayapuri, it was stated that Hema Malini’s mother wanted Girish Karnad as her son-in-law. Girish worked as an actor, film director, Kannada writer, and playwright at the time. Hema’s mother admired his behaviour and professionalism. Moreover, to bring them closer, she even produced the film Ratnadeep, hoping they would fell in love and get married. However, that didn’t happen, and eventually Hema Malini married Dharmendra, despite all the obstacles and family rejections.