Family divides can be heartbreaking, especially when honoring a beloved figure like veteran actor Dharmendra. But here's where it gets controversial... While his sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, organized a heartfelt prayer meeting in his memory, his second wife, Hema Malini, and their daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, were notably absent. Instead, Hema hosted a separate, intimate pooja at her home, sparking whispers and raising eyebrows across Bollywood.
The event, dubbed a 'Celebration of Life,' took place on Thursday at a Mumbai hotel, bringing together Dharmendra’s first wife, Prakash Kaur, and their children—Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta, and Ajeeta—along with grandsons Karan and Rajveer. Actor Abhay Deol also joined the family in their time of remembrance. The emotional gathering, which began at 5:30 pm and concluded around 8 pm, saw Sunny and Bobby visibly moved as they stood in tribute to their father. A star-studded guest list included Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, and many others, underscoring Dharmendra’s enduring legacy in the industry.
And this is the part most people miss... While the prayer meeting was a public display of grief, Hema Malini’s decision to hold a private ceremony at her residence added a layer of complexity. Celebrities like Mahima Chaudhry, Sunita Ahuja, and even Esha Deol’s ex-husband, Bharat Takhtani, were spotted at her home, where a pandit conducted a bhajan sandhya. Sunita Ahuja later shared with Screen that Hema had organized a recitation of the Bhagavad Gita and bhajans, saying, “I couldn’t stop crying in front of Hema ji.”
Hema’s emotional tribute to Dharmendra on social media further highlighted their deep bond. She wrote, “Dharam ji... He was many things to me. Loving husband, adoring father of our two girls, Esha and Ahaana, Friend, Philosopher, Guide, Poet, my 'go to' person in all times of need—in fact, he was everything to me!”
Dharmendra, who passed away at 89 on November 24, just days before his 90th birthday, left behind a complex family dynamic. Married to Prakash Kaur in 1954, he had four children with her before marrying Hema Malini, with whom he had two daughters. His cremation took place in Mumbai on November 25, marking the end of an era for Indian cinema.
But here’s the question that lingers... Was Hema’s absence from the public prayer meeting a sign of rift, or simply a preference for a more private mourning? And does hosting a separate ceremony diminish the unity of the family’s grief, or does it reflect the multifaceted nature of love and loss? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is one Bollywood story that’s sure to spark debate.
