Esha Deol Shares 'Rightfully Orthodox' Dad Dharmendra Wanted Her To Get Married At 18: 'He Didn't Want Me To...'

Esha Deol, the daughter of Dharmendra and Hema Malini, shared that her father had wanted her to marry at 18 rather than pursue a career in films.

Esha Deol with her parents and veteran actors Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

Source : Instagram

Actor Esha Deol, who entered Bollywood at a time when star kids often received major launches, recently opened up about her father Dharmendra's initial reluctance towards her joining the film industry. Esha, the daughter of Dharmendra and Hema Malini, shared that her father had wanted her to marry at 18 rather than pursue a career in films. While Dharmendra wasn't entirely opposed to her working in the industry, it took some convincing on her part for him to agree.

Esha Deol calls dad Dharmendra 'orthodox'

In an interview with Hauterrfly, Esha revealed that her father is “rightfully orthodox,” explaining that his traditional mindset stemmed from his upbringing. Dharmendra, being a Punjabi father, believed that his daughters should get married and settle down early, as that was the norm he had grown up with.

"He didn’t want me to enter the movies. He is a bit orthodox, rightfully so… He wanted us to get married and settle down at 18. That was his conditioning, coming from a place where the women in his family were raised that way. But my upbringing was very different," Esha explained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Esha Deol on growing up in a strict household

Raised by her mother, Hema Malini, Esha said she was heavily influenced by her mother's career in films and had always wanted to carve out her own identity in the industry. However, convincing her father was no easy task. "I knew I wanted to be someone, but it took a while to convince him. It wasn’t easy, but things are different today," she said.

By the time Esha made her Bollywood debut in 2002, Dharmendra’s sons from his first marriage, Sunny and Bobby Deol, were already established actors.

Esha also recalled growing up in a strict household, where her maternal grandmother imposed rules on her clothing and social life. “My grandmother was very strict. We weren’t allowed to wear spaghetti straps or short skirts, and staying out late was out of the question," she shared.

Despite the strict environment, Esha admitted to going through a rebellious phase. "There was a time when I would lie to go out on late nights. I’ve done all that, and it was fun too,” she added.