Bhawana Somaaya on Bollywood's past: Marriages were guarded secrets

Journalist Bhawana Somaaya reflects on an era of intense privacy in Bollywood, where relationships were off-record. She cites Hema Malini and Dharmendra's guarded wedding and pregnancy as key examples of this discreet culture.

Veteran journalist and film critic Bhawana Somaaya spoke about how intensely private the personal lives of Bollywood stars once were, recalling the time when even marriages and relationships were guarded with utmost discretion. In an interview with ANI, Somaaya noted that the boundaries between celebrities' private and public lives were respected, and that the media also maintained a cordial relationship with the industry. "Earlier, everything was personalised. There were a handful of newspapers and a handful of magazines. Everybody knew everybody by name. In our time, we were more friendly to each star individually than the stars were to each other. Nobody told you that this is off-record and this is on-record. You came from that kind of family, that kind of values and tradition, that you would not betray your own sister or your aunt. It was just so organic," Somaaya said.

Hema Malini and Dharmendra: A Case Study in Privacy

Pointing to Hema Malini and Dharmendra's wedding as a striking example of this earlier culture of privacy, Bhawana Somaaya shared, "Everybody knew about their marriage. The first time Dharamji said, 'I'm married to her', it was for my magazine. I was not the editor; I was a reporter. We went to Film City and just had to take one line from them - 'I'm married to her'. We waited for four hours. As soon as we got that, we left."

Somaaya also spilt the beans on Hema Malini's pregnancy journey, when the couple made multiple hospital bookings to avoid media attention. "Nobody knew where Hema Malini was going to deliver. She was acting when she was pregnant. She used to say how everybody realised that she had gained weight. But she has such a beautiful face, and nothing about her appearance gave away her pregnancy. She used to get into that costume and even performed Bharatanatyam," the veteran film critic and author recalled.

A Storied Romance

Dharmendra and Hema Malini first met in 1970, while shooting for the film 'Tum Haseen Main Jawan'. The two played the lead roles in the movie. Over the years, the two fell in love and finally tied the knot in 1980. They share two daughters - Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.

The Bollywood legend, fondly known as the industry's 'He-Man', passed away on November 24, 2025, leaving behind a rich cinematic legacy and the entire nation in mourning. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)