‘Was very scared’: When Dimple Kapadia became the bridge between Hema Malini and Sunny Deol’s first conversation |

Bollywood’s dream girl Hema Malini married Dharmendra in 1980, at a time when he already had four children. Rumours about their relationship had been circulating for years, and when the couple finally tied the knot, many expected some backlash from his first family.Three years later, Dharmendra’s son Sunny Deol made his film debut with ‘Betaab’. While Dharmendra’s bond with his first family seemed intact, Hema didn’t have the same closeness with his children. She later revealed that she actually spoke to Sunny at length for the first time almost ten years after her marriag, and that conversation was largely about work.

Dimple Kapadia, who shared a close friendship with Hema Malini, became the link between her and Sunny during the shoot of Hema’s directorial debut, ‘Dil Aashna Hai’. Hema cast Dimple in an important role alongside ‘Shah Rukh Khan’ and ‘Divya Bharti’.During a scene that involved some risk, Dimple felt scared. “Dimple was very scared to do the shoot. She informed Sunny, and out of concern, Sunny came and met me. I assured Sunny that she would be safe, and that’s when I started talking to him,” Hema recalled in her biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’ by Ram Kamal Mukherjee.She also shared the details of the risky scene, “I wanted to shoot a paragliding scene with Mithun (Chakraborty) in ‘Dil Aashna Hai’, and there was an aeroplane scene which was required for a song sequence. A few days before the shoot, the pilot had met with an accident.”

Their relationship gradually grew through mutual respect

Over time, Hema and Sunny developed a relationship built on trust and concern. Hema spoke about it during the launch of her book in 2017, recalling how Sunny was the first person to come to her when she had a car accident in 2015.“Sunny was the first person to come and see me at home. He saw that the right doctor was there for the stitches that were done on my face,” she said. She added, “Whenever it is necessary he (Sunny) is always there, along with Dharamji.”On October 16, 2025, Hema Malini turned 77 and she celebrated her special day in a deeply spiritual and family-oriented way. ETimes learned that a sacred havan and pooja were organised at her Juhu bungalow by her daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.A close source shared with us, “The intimate celebration was attended by close friends and family members. Keeping with tradition, a sumptuous South Indian meal was prepared by a special chef, a nostalgic touch that made the occasion even more personal. Hema Malini enjoyed the meal with her daughters and grandchildren, surrounded by love and laughter.”