Dharmendra returns home after hospitalisation: All about his love story with Hema Malini

Veteran actor Dharmendra, 89, has been discharged from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, doctors confirmed on Wednesday. His sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, decided to bring him home for further care.

“Dharmendra ji was discharged from the hospital around 7.30 am. He will be treated at home as the family has decided to give him treatment at home,” said Dr Pratit Samdani, speaking to PTI.

False rumours about the actor’s death had caused panic among fans earlier this week, but his family - including wife Hema Malini and daughter Esha Deol — quickly shut down the speculation, assuring everyone that the beloved star was “stable and recovering.”

As the veteran actor rests at home surrounded by his family, fans cannot help but look back at the love story that has defined his life—a romance that, like Dharmendra himself, was never ordinary.

Dharmendra and Hema Malini's relationship

Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s relationship began in the early 1970s, growing quietly between film shoots and public scrutiny. They fell for each other on the sets of Tu Haseen Main Jawan (1970), and by 1980, they were married.

At the time, Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had four children. Hema’s mother wanted her to marry Jeetendra, who seemed the “sensible” choice. But Hema followed her heart. “I knew people talked behind my back. Fingers were pointed, accusations were flung. But I just knew he made me happy - and all I wanted was happiness,” she later said in her biography Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl.

Hema Malini and Dharmendra's life after marriage

Even after marriage, Hema made the unconventional decision to live separately. “I didn’t want to disturb anyone. I am happy with whatever Dharam ji did for me and my daughters,” she once said.

Her words were not about sacrifice — they were about acceptance. “I’m not a police officer who needs to keep tabs on him. He knows his duty as a father,” she added.

Hema raised her daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, with grace and independence, while Dharmendra remained a steady presence — not always near, but always there.

A love that endured beyond judgment

Their marriage never fit the traditional mould, but it lasted because it was grounded in something deeper than appearance.

“Nobody wants to live like this. But you accept. I am not sulking. I have my two children and I have brought them up well,” Hema once said.

Right now, the legendary actor is recovering. His close family, including Hema Malini and the rest of the Deol family, from Sunny and Bobby to Esha and Ahana, are by his side.

FAQs

1. When did Dharmendra and Hema Malini get married?

They married in 1980 after years of working together in films.

2. Did Dharmendra have another family before Hema?

Yes, he was married to Prakash Kaur and had four children.

3. How did Dharmendra and Hema meet?

They met on the sets of Tu Haseen Main Jawan in 1970.

4. Do they live together?

Hema Malini chose to live separately, describing it as a peaceful arrangement.

5. How is Dharmendra’s health now?

He is stable and under care at home after being discharged from Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai.