Why Hema Malini Ended Up Doing B-Grade Films?

Hema Malini married Dharmendra in 1980, choosing love despite knowing he was already married to Prakash Kaur and had four children; Sunny, Bobby, Ajeeta, and Vijeta.

But soon after the wedding, Hema entered one of the most difficult phases of her life; a financial crisis that lasted nearly a decade.

In Hema Malini: Beyond The Dream Girl, author Ram Kamal Mukherjee reveals that Dharmendra offered to help his wife financially, but she declined. She wanted to solve her problems on her own.

Hema explained that her mother, who managed her finances, was not careful about paying taxes; even though her father repeatedly warned her.

She said, “My father kept reminding my mother to pay taxes, but she thought it was unfair to charge so much tax when I worked so hard for that money.”

After her father’s death, Hema realised the seriousness of the pending tax dues. To clear the debts, she had no option but to take up as many films as possible; including B-grade films, since big banners were hesitant to cast her as she was now a mother of two.

She recalled, “It was the worst phase of my life and it lasted almost ten years. Dance shows helped, but most of the money came from films.”

Hema’s daughter Esha Deol shared that she discovered the reality only years later.

She noticed her mother working nonstop after her younger sister Ahana was born.

“We later watched films like Durga, Anjaam, Sitapur Ki Geeta, and Jamai Raja. I asked her why she did those movies, and that’s when she told us about the debt.”

Their love story is one of Bollywood’s most iconic. They starred together in films like Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Jugnu, and Dream Girl.

They fell in love on the sets of Tum Haseen Main Jawaan in 1970, despite Dharmendra already being married and a father of four.

It was widely reported that the couple converted to Islam to marry in 1980; a claim that Dharmendra later denied. Eventually, they married in a traditional Iyengar ceremony in honour of Hema’s roots.

Dharmendra passed away on November 24 in Mumbai at the age of 89, just 12 days after being discharged from Breach Candy Hospital.

He was cremated at Pawan Hans crematorium, and a prayer meet was held on November 27 at Taj Lands End.