Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini's relationship ended because his family wanted her to quit films: ‘Desired a stay-at-home wife'

Time of India

10-07-2025

Sanjeev Kumar
was one of Hindi cinema's finest actors, remembered for his powerful performances across a range of genres. But while he won hearts on screen, his personal life was filled with heartache.
Despite playing many romantic roles,
Sanjeev
never married, and passed away at just 47. Among the most talked-about chapters of his love life was his relationship with
Hema Malini
, which reportedly ended due to his conservative views on marriage.
Love sparked on the set of '
Seeta Aur Geeta
'
Their romance began in 1972 when they were shooting for 'Seeta Aur Geeta'. According to Hanif Zaveri and Sumant Batra in the book An Actor's Actor, 'Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini became acquainted with each other while shooting for the song 'Hawa Ke Saath Saath', in which they had to skate through the picturesque roads of Mahabaleshwar.'
Their bond grew stronger after a scary accident on set. The book says, 'In one terrifying moment, the trolley came loose while both Hema Malini and Sanjeev Kumar were on it, and veered towards a cliff. Luckily, the road bent inwards and both the actors fell away from the treacherous precipice. They escaped with minor cuts and bruises. This brush with death brought them closer. The moment they recovered from the accident, they were more concerned about each other than their own well-being.
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Undo
Many believe that this was the moment they began developing feelings for each other.'
When wedding plans took shape
It didn't take long for things to move ahead. The book shares that, 'The Jariwals decided to visit Hema's family in Madras and ask for her hand. Sanjeev, Hema, and Shantaben planned the visit, fixed a date, and got their tickets. As was customary, Shantaben arrived at Hema's home with boxes of sweets, and Hema Malini's mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, was happy to meet Sanjeev's family.'
Everything seemed smooth at first.
The cultural differences did not become a problem. But soon, Hema's growing film career became a big hurdle.
The one condition that ended it all
Hema's mother Jaya Chakravarthy was ready for the proposal but had one clear condition. She said she would agree only if her daughter was allowed to keep working in films after marriage. The book notes, 'For the Jariwala family this was a difficult condition to accept.
Shantaben and Sanjeev were clear from the start that they would not allow Hema to act in films after marriage.'.
Neither would give in
Hema had hoped Sanjeev would change his mind and let her continue acting. On the other side, Sanjeev thought Hema would convince her mother to accept his family's wishes. In the end, neither was ready to give in. This difference tore them apart, and they decided to end their relationship.
Hema later spoke about Sanjeev's expectations
Years later, in 1991, Hema Malini opened up about this in Junior G magazine. She said, 'Sanjeev Kumar who desired a stay-at-home, all-sacrificing wife who would care for his ageing mother and support him, while he mesmerized the audience and won accolades, seems like a caricature of a male chauvinist. But before judging him too harshly, let's consider the era we are dealing with. Back in the day, it was common to look down upon women who chose to be a part of showbiz.
'
Hema later moved on and married
Dharmendra
in 1980. They went on to have two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. Meanwhile, Sanjeev Kumar never married.