When Dharmendra booked the entire hospital for Hema Malini as she gave birth to Esha Deol: ‘Nobody knew about her pregnancy’

Hema Malini and Dharmendra tied the knot in a low key ceremony in 1980 and the couple welcomed their first daughter Esha in November 1981. At the time, Hema’s pregnancy was hidden from the fans and not many people outside their close friends and family members knew that the Dream Girl of Hindi cinema was going to be a mother. The wedding of the couple had already been questioned by a few as Dharmendra was already married to his first wife Prakash Kaur and they were parents to four children – Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Ajeeta Deol and Vijayta Deol.

When Hema was supposed to get hospitalised to welcome her first baby, Dharmendra went out of his way to maintain their privacy. The action star booked the entire hospital so Hema could be at peace and did not have to worry about fans invading her space. During an appearance on Hema Malini’s episode of Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, her friend Neetu Kohli recalled this incident and shared, “When Esha was going to be born, nobody knew that Hema was pregnant so Dharam ji had booked the whole hospital for Esha. It was a nursing home with about 100 rooms. He booked all the 100 rooms for Esha to be born.”

Neetu added that at that time, no one knew about this gesture of the star. “No one knew that this is what Dharam ji had done,” she shared. Esha was born on November 2, 1981.

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In Hema’s biography titled Hema Malini: Beyond The Dream Girl, the actor recalled that she met Dharmendra’s mother Satwant Kaur during her first pregnancy. She shared, “Dharamji’s mother Satwant Kaur was equally warm and kind-hearted. I remember how she came to meet me once at a dubbing studio in Juhu after I had conceived Esha. She hadn’t informed anyone in the house. I touched her feet, and she hugged me and said, ‘Beta, khush raho hamesha (Be happy always).’ I was happy that they were happy with me.”

Hema Malini’s daughters Esha and Ahana got married in 2012 and 2014 respectively. Dharmendra’s kids from his first marriage skipped the wedding and their absence was noted by the fans of the Deol family. A few weeks ago, Hema and her daughters also skipped the wedding of Sunny’s son Karan Deol. Esha later wished Karan on social media.