
Hema Malini's mother was against her marriage with Dharmendra, wanted THIS actor to be her son-in-law, his name was…, Not Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan
Hema Malini, widely known as Bollywood's 'Dream Girl', captivated fans with her admirable beauty and impeccable acting skills. Married to her Sholay co-star Dharmendra, the couple have two children- Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Did you know Hema Malini's mother wasn't in favour of her decision to marry Dharmendra, as he was already married at the time? Instead, he had another actor in her mind, who she was impressed with and wanted him to be her son-in-law.
Jaya Chakravarthy, Hema Malini's mother, was a producer and a costume designer for popular films like Dream Girl (1977), Swami (1977), and Dillagi (1978) . Jaya desired to be a dancer, but couldn't pursue her dreams, so she made sure to experience vicariously through her daughter and made her a superstar.
According to reports, before Dharmendra, Hema Malini was reportedly in love with Sanjeev Kumar and even planned to marry him and settle down. However, their relationship ended due to contrasting opinions, with Kumar's family asking her to give up acting. Later, Hema fell in love with Dharmendra, but her family was against their relationship due to his first marriage with Prakash Kaur. His parents opposed the idea of marrying a man who was already married and had children.
In the 250th issue of Mayapuri, it was stated that Hema Malini's mother wanted Girish Karnad as her son-in-law. Girish worked as an actor, film director, Kannada writer, and playwright at the time. Hema's mother admired his behaviour and professionalism. Moreover, to bring them closer, she even produced the film Ratnadeep, hoping they would fell in love and get married. However, that didn't happen, and eventually Hema Malini married Dharmendra, despite all the obstacles and family rejections.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Sreeleela sets sights on pan-India stardom
Sreeleela is on a roll. Having made a name for herself in South Indian cinema, she is now eyeing pan-India stardom. The actress began her career with the Kannada film Kiss. She then went on to star in hits like By Two Love (Kannada), and Dhamaka, Guntur Kaaram, and the National Award-winning Bhagavanth Kesari (Telugu). Now, she has another Telugu film in the pipeline; she's also stepping into Tamil and Hindi cinema, with projects that include a Bollywood film alongside Kartik Aaryan and her Tamil debut, Parasakthi, opposite Sivakarthikeyan. These roles represent exciting new chapters for the actress, especially the latter, where she says audiences will 'get to see a new side of me.' Excerpts: 'AS AN ARTISTE, I LIKE CHANGING GEARS; IT KEEPS ME ON MY TOES' Reflecting on the nuances of working across different film industries, Sreeleela says, 'Every language has its own streak, its own flair. What matters most is understanding what the film demands and what the audience expects. Commercial cinema has its own frequency; Hindi cinema is obviously very different from what I've done. But I like changing gears like that. It keeps me on my toes.' 'ACTING TO ME, IS LIVING THE CHARACTER' She emphasises the importance of authenticity in her acting, and says, 'I feel like the moment we start acting instead of living the character, it's not authentic anymore. Especially in Hindi cinema, the scripts I've heard are a little more real, a little more my age, very close to my character. In the past, I've played many characters that weren't completely like me — I tapped into different roles. But these last couple of films feel like me, like a plain me, like how I would really react. I'm excited to bring my authentic self to every screen no matter what language.' 'I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING ROLES THAT FEEL GENUINE' Talking about the kinds of stories that inspire her both on and off screen, Sreeleela says, 'I've always been a sucker for love stories and romcoms. Now I'm in my early 20s, and that's the vibe I'm in. Core emotions like love stay the same; what changes is how they're expressed in cinema. I want to be part of stories that are true to my age and feelings. Today, we are also seeing a rise in female-led films. I love seeing women tap into those strong, inspiring stories, and I hope to portray such roles myself. ' I love entertaining, and being able to do it on a wider canvas only makes me happier Sreeleela


NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Hema Malini To NDTV On Sholay Costumes: "I Had Only Three Dresses, Dharmendra Ji Had Just One"
New Delhi: The excitement continues to soar around Sholay as it is set to clock 50 years on August 15, 2025. Every character in the film, from the boisterous Basanti played by Hema Malini to the vicious Bandit Gabbar (Amjad Khan), and the everlasting friendship of Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), Ramesh Sippy's cult classic has garnered love from the audience over the years. In an exclusive conversation with Hema Malini on the fast-approaching special occasion, the actress exclaimed how no one focused on the costumes of the film. What's Happening While several aspects of Ramesh Sippy's Sholay can be analysed and discussed, Hema Malini veers our attention towards the costumes of the film. She exclaims, "No one is talking about the costumes in the film! Dharam ji had only one costume. There was no need for any costume designers or anything. I had only three dresses to wear." Hema Malini elaborates, "One of my costumes was in white and the other one in black. The third was yellow, which you see in the Holi sequence." She laughs and adds, "I jokingly even said that, at least for Holi, give me a new dress. But it got dirty immediately. I used to tell the dressman to clean my costumes and keep them. But the next day it would come back even dirtier. Ramesh Sippy had said no ironing or anything. The costumes should look dirty; it has to be like this, and you have to wear this." "The audience will never focus on the costumes of the film. That's the beauty of it. Everybody looked the part, set against the backdrop of a village," concludes Hema Malini. About Sholay Crafted by Salim-Javed, the plot revolves around two notorious criminals, Jai and Veeru (Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), who are hired by a former jailer, Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar), as he seeks vengeance to bring down the vile bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). In A Nutshell Hema Malini spoke of simpler times while shooting for Sholay, where there was no costume designer on set. She spoke about having just three dresses throughout the film, and Dharmendra ji having just one.


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Vishnuvardhan memorial demolition: Fans, Kannada stars express outrage, demand dignified tribute
Dr Vishnuvardhan's memorial demolition has not only upset fans but also reopened old wounds about how Karnataka honours its film legends. For many, this is not just about a structure being removed but it's also about losing a piece of history connected to one of the state's most beloved actors. Demolition of Dr Vishnuvardhan's memorial in Bengaluru The sudden demolition of Kannada cinema legend Dr Vishnuvardhan's memorial in Bengaluru has caused shock and anger among his fans and the film industry and the memorial which was located at Abhiman Studio where the actor was cremated in 2009, was pulled down overnight on August 7–8, 2025 and reportedly it was done under police protection and following a Karnataka High Court order. This decision, carried out without public notice, deeply hurt his admirers, many of whom saw the place as sacred. Reason behind the demolition The demolition is linked to a long-running legal dispute. In 2015, the state government had allotted two acres of land at Abhiman Studio to the Vishnuvardhan Memorial Trust and however, the Balakrishna family, who own the studio, challenged the allotment in court, arguing that the land was taken without proper consent and that the promised compensation was never paid. In August 2023, the High Court ruled in favour of the family, restoring the land to them and this cleared the way for the removal of the memorial, even though fans had hoped for its preservation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Duong An Duong Vuong: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo Several Kannada stars spoke out strongly The move sparked massive outrage. Fans gathered at the site in grief and protest, with many blaming the government and Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce for not protecting the memorial. Several Kannada stars including Kichcha Sudeep, Rishab Shetty, Upendra, Dhruva Sarja and Sri Murali, spoke out strongly against the demolition. Sudeep compared it to destroying a temple, while Rishab Shetty called it an insult to one of the state's greatest actors. About Dr Vishnuvardhan Vishnuvardhan, born Sampath Kumar, was one of the biggest names in Kannada cinema, second only to Dr Rajkumar. In his 35-year career, he acted in over 200 films across Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam languages, earning titles like Sahasa Simha and 'The Angry Young Man' of Kannada cinema. His death at 59 in 2009 shocked the state, and his cremation at Abhiman Studio gave the site emotional value for fans. Although the government has built a grand memorial for Vishnuvardhan in Mysuru, featuring galleries, rare photographs, personal belongings, and a life-sized statue but many fans still feel that it cannot replace the original cremation site. Allegations have also surfaced about political involvement and plans to use the land for commercial purposes, though these remain unverified. Some voices are now calling for a lasting solution that to place Vishnuvardhan's memorial at Kanteerava Studio, alongside those of Dr Rajkumar and Ambareesh, to unite the three icons of Kannada cinema in one place.