Veteran actress and talk show host Simi Garewal recently revisited moments from her iconic talk show, ‘Rendezvous with Simi,’ sharing a cherished snippet featuring Bollywood superstar Hema Malini.
Hema’s First Encounter with Dharmendra
In the video, Hema opens up about her initial meeting with her husband, Dharmendra. Reflecting on that moment, she shares, “I met him for the first time at the premiere of one of the films. I thought I had never seen such a handsome man in my life. And later, I heard him saying the same thing about me.”
When Simi inquired whether Hema ever tried to resist Dharmendra, knowing he was married, Hema responded, “In the beginning, I never bothered. Somewhere in my mind, I used to think, ‘If I ever marry, I must marry somebody like him.’ Not him, but somebody like him.”
Acceptance of Love
Hema revealed that Dharmendra would often express his feelings for her, saying, “He constantly used to tell me that he loved me a lot, and I would just say, ‘Okay, okay,’ without giving much importance to it, knowing the consequences.”
When Simi asked what led her to ultimately accept the relationship, Hema stated, “It was destiny. We were together for so long, and then suddenly thinking of marrying someone else just didn’t feel right. So one day, I called him and said, ‘You have to marry me now.’ He said, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you.’ And that’s how it happened.”
Navigating Family Dynamics
Hema also discussed her decision to stay out of Dharmendra’s family matters with his first wife. “I never tried to compete with his other family for his time or attention, not at all. In love, you are supposed to give, not demand. When you love a person so much, and you also receive so much love from them, how can you torture someone for small, petty things?”
She added, “That’s the reason I never bothered, never irritated him, never put pressure on him. I wanted the love to continue. And that’s how it still is today; we love each other so much, nothing can come between us. I understand his problems, and I adjust everything according to him, because of which he loves me even more.”
Hema emphasized, “When you give so much, you receive so much. That is love; you must give respect to the love you have.”
Simi’s Reflection on Their Journey
Simi captured this heartfelt conversation beautifully, stating, “I watched our Rendezvous again recently to revisit the Hema-Dharam love story. It was poignant & courageous, considering the circumstances.”
She further noted, “Marrying a married man is not an option most women of today would settle for. But having chosen to follow her love, Hema-ji handled the relationship with a rare degree of selflessness & grace. Today, she must feel a great sense of loss without him. I hope the happy memories will comfort her & fill the void.”
For those unaware, the love story of Dharmendra and Hema Malini is considered one of the most romantic sagas in Bollywood. Meeting in the early 1970s while working together, their on-screen chemistry soon evolved into a deep personal bond.
Despite facing societal judgment and opposition from both families, the couple married in 1980. At the time, Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur, fathering four children: Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Ajeta Deol, and Vijayta Deol.









