When daughter Ahana Deol revealed she didn’t like Dharmendra, Hema Malini’s romantic scenes with other actors
Ahana Deol opened up about growing up in a family of film legends, admitting she used to hate watching her parents romance other actors
Actor Dharmendra’s death at the age of 89 has left the Hindi film industry and his large family in mourning. The veteran star, who shared his life between two families, was married to Prakash Kaur, with whom he had four children — Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta, and Ajeeta Deol — before tying the knot with actor Hema Malini in 1980. Together, they welcomed two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol.
Despite the unconventional family setup, Dharmendra remained a doting father to all his children. In an earlier interview with HerZindagi Buzz, Ahana Deol shared affectionate memories of her father and also spoke candidly about growing up in a home where both parents were among India’s most iconic on-screen romantics.
A loving father and a cherished memory
Ahana, who has largely stayed away from the limelight unlike her sister Esha Deol, recalled one of her fondest memories with her father.
“I was six when he was going to his farm in Lonavala. He had just dropped by to tell us goodbye before leaving. I suddenly said, ‘I want to go too…’ and it was so impromptu—he packed my bags and took me with him. He made me sit on his lap in the car. It is one of the best memories I have with him. I will always remember it very fondly,” she said.
“I didn’t like my parents romancing others on screen…”
In the same interview, Ahana admitted that growing up in a film family wasn’t always easy. Watching her parents in romantic scenes with other actors often made her uncomfortable as a child. “It wasn’t a good feeling, honestly. I used to get very confused and angry. My mom would explain that this is what she does for a living, but initially, I didn’t like my parents romancing others on screen,” she said.
Ahana added that it took her time to understand the difference between real life and reel life — a challenge many star kids face while growing up in households where cinema and stardom are part of everyday life.
“I want to inherit my father’s Fiat…”
Ahana also shared a lighter memory when asked what she’d like to inherit from her father. Her answer wasn’t his fame or films — but his first car. “My dad’s Fiat,” she said with a smile. “I would love to inherit my father’s first car — his Fiat. That car is so cute and vintage, and I’m sure he has countless memories attached to it. It’s just something I would love to have as mine.”
Remembering Dharmendra
Dharmendra passed away on Monday (November 24) at the age of 89. His final rites were held at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai, attended by several industry veterans including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. The late actor’s final on-screen appearance will be in Sriram Raghavan’s war drama Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda, which is set to release on December 25, 2025.
