Veteran actor Dharmendra ’s passing at 89 has left Bollywood and his countless admirers grieving deeply. The beloved “He-Man” of Hindi cinema breathed his last at his Mumbai residence on November 24, with his final rites held a day later. As tributes pour in from across the fraternity, let’s revisit an emotional chapter from his life.





In her authorised biography, Hema Malini : Beyond the Dream Girl, the actress opened up like never before about the love she never expected, never planned, and never believed would be hers. “To be honest, I never thought of marrying him,” she wrote, recalling the early days when the two were paired in one film after another, spending months together on sets that slowly built a bond neither could name.

‘I didn’t fall in love consciously’: A love she believed had no future



Hema’s confessions reveal a woman torn between emotion and duty. “I knew that I was attracted to him but the relationship had no future... Soon, it became a habit to be with each other all the time,” she shared.





She vividly described her father’s worry, astrologers being consulted, and even his decision to accompany her to Malta during the shooting of Charas. Her father insisted she sit away from Dharmendra — but the star always found a way to sit beside her. “Today we can laugh over it, but at that time it wasn’t funny,” Hema wrote, reflecting on those years of emotional turmoil.





Eventually, destiny made the choice she couldn’t. “I will only marry the person I love,” she had once told Dharam ji shyly — an indirect confession that changed everything.





Dharmendra is survived by his wives, Prakash Kaur and actor Hema Malini, along with his six children, including actors Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and Esha Deol .