When Hema Malini revealed that Dharmendra was a strict father to girls Esha and Ahaana

Dharmendra's love life has always been under intense scrutiny. The Bollywood icon who passed away at his Juhu residence on Monday, had been married to his first wife, Prakash Kaur, long before his Bollywood breakthrough. The two shared four children—Sunny, Bobby, Ajeeta, and Vijeta. Despite his strong family ties, Dharmendra later became deeply captivated by his co-star Hema Malini, whom he first met at a movie premiere in the 1970s. The two, who were smitten with each other, eventually went on to work together in several films.

In an interview with Simi Garewal, Hema shared that the attraction was mutual. "I found him extremely handsome. By then, I had the chance to work with him in several films," Hema recalled on Simi's ‘Rendezvous.’ "I worked with many heroes, but I always looked forward to working with Dharmendra. He was special—affectionate, soft-spoken, and so caring in the way he held my hand."

Despite his commitment to his first wife, Dharmendra and Hema eventually married, though he never divorced Prakash Kaur. Their two daughters, Esha and Ahana, have often spoken about their father's traditional, Punjabi values. Dharmendra, who was very possessive of his wife and daughters, was also known for being strict. Esha, for instance, once mentioned that her father would have preferred she be married by the age of 18. "However, he did not stop me completely from entering the film industry, because he was someone who had rebelled against his parents and I am his daughter. He was passionate about acting and he woud surely understand I would have it no other way," she said, in her interviews.

Hema also revealed that Dharmendra had strong views about their children's clothing. He preferred them to wear traditional attire, often insisting they dress in salwar kameez or trousers when he was around. "The kids liked modern clothes, but I would make sure they wore something more traditional when Dharmendra was home," Hema had said.