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Speculation has long circulated in the media about an alleged coldness between the two branches of the late legend Dharmendra’s family. One half led by his first wife, Prakash Kaur, (whom he married while still living in Punjab before moving to Mumbai) along with their children Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, and daughters Ajeeta Deol and Vijayta Deol. And the other led by his second wife, actor Hema Malini, and their daughters Esha Deol and Ahaan Deol Vohra. But beyond media speculation, those close to the family insist that mutual goodwill has always existed. This is something which biographer Rajiv Vijayakar chronicles in his book Dharmendra: Not Just a He-Man.
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In the book, Vijayakar writes that before Esha’s marriage to Bharat Takhtani in 2012, Prakash was even involved in looking for a match for her stepdaughter. “However, improbable it may seem to the layman, it is absolutely believable that Dharmendra had once told me, ‘Prakash is also looking for a suitable groom for Esha.’” However, as widely reported at the time, although Prakash had offered to help find a groom, no one from her side of the family attended Esha’s wedding.
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Esha has earlier shared that she met Prakash only once, when she visited her home to see her uncle, Dharmendra’s brother, who was very sick. “I touched her feet and she left after blessing me,” she shared in the book Hema Malini: Beyond The Dream Girl. Speaking about Prakash, author Vijayakar recalls meeting her briefly and describes her as “a woman who looked radiantly handsome and content.” Even in that short meeting, he saw in her the “extraordinary homemaker, who had allowed Dharmendra every peace, progress and support by being a solid pillar in his life.” He also notes Dharmendra’s own words that Prakash cared for his other family as well.
Hema, too, has spoken with regard for Prakash. In her biography, she said, “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.” Also, in her biography, Hema addressed the common misconceptions surrounding her marriage, especially the belief that she spent her life waiting for Dharmendra to appear. “There are people who think I am weeping at home, pining for my man. I am not a police officer who needs to keep tabs on him. He knows his duty as a father and I have never had to remind him of it. Dharam-ji still treats me like he did in the initial days.”
