Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s love story defied norms. Behind the fairy-tale romance was the actress’ mother, who was deeply worried about her daughter’s future. She did not want Hema to tie the knot with the already-married superstar.

At the peak of her stardom, Hema’s personal life was under constant scrutiny. Her mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, was quietly searching for a suitable match for the dream girl.

As Hema’s closeness with Dharmendra grew on film sets, her mother started to worry. The actor’s existing marriage and children became a major sticking point, pushing Jaya to steer her daughter away from the actor.

According to the actress’ biography, Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl, Hema’s parents had even arranged her marriage with another actor. Everyone was involved, and Hema herself was under immense emotional pressure to comply.

Hema Malini’s mother wanted her to marry Jeetendra. As revealed in the biography, her mother actively tried to convince her that Jeetendra was the safer choice. The reason? Well, Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had two kids as well.

Jeetendra and Hema shared a successful professional rapport, and their pairing was well-liked by audiences. The two worked in films such as Khushboo, Waaris, Jai Kaali, Dulhan and Gehri Chaal.

Besides Jeetendra, Jaya preferred actor, director and playwright Girish Karnad as a potential son-in-law, as per the 250th issue of Mayapuri also reported that. She reportedly admired his mannerisms.

Before Dharmendra, Hema was deeply involved with Sanjeev Kumar, even considering marriage and settling down with him. Following some disagreements over her career, the two ended their relationship abruptly.

Despite multiple attempts to redirect her path, Hema stood firm. Her bond with Dharmendra only strengthened through films like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani and Pratigya. Dharmendra’s devotion was evident, and Hema eventually chose love.

Despite the opposition, Hema Malini and Dharmendra married on May 2, 1980. They later welcomed two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol and went on to live a life filled with love.