Much has been written about Dharmendra’s legendary on-screen chemistry and later marriage with Hema Malini, but far less is known about the woman who spent 71 years by his side—his first wife, Prakash Kaur. Graceful, private, and away from the spotlight, her relationship with the actor remained one of quiet endurance built on companionship and mutual respect.
Dharmendra married Prakash Kaur in 1954, when he was just 19 and still Dharam Singh Deol from Punjab—years before Bollywood would crown him its “He-Man.” Theirs was an arranged marriage, and as they stepped into adulthood together, their bond grew with time. Prakash stood by him long before the fame, money, and frenzy of stardom arrived.
When Dharmendra moved to Mumbai in the late 1950s to chase his Bollywood dream, Prakash became the anchor of the Deol household. She raised their four children—Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta, and Ajeeta—while he built a career that would span more than six decades. Dharmendra often acknowledged her as the silent force who held the family together during his long absences from home.
As his fame peaked in the 1970s and his chemistry with Hema Malini blossomed into one of Bollywood’s most talked-about romances, public scrutiny intensified. In 1980, Dharmendra married Hema in a private ceremony, triggering controversy and speculation. Yet through it all, Prakash Kaur remained dignified and steadfast.
In a rare 1981 interview, she defended her husband, saying she held no resentment toward Hema and that Dharmendra’s happiness mattered above all. She called out the double standards of critics, pointing out that a man in his position would naturally be drawn to someone like Hema Malini, and that he shouldn’t be labelled a “womaniser” for something so common in the film industry.
Now in her late 80s, Prakash Kaur continues to stay away from the public eye, choosing a quiet life surrounded by her children and grandchildren. In a recent interview, Bobby Deol revealed that his parents lived together at their Khandala farmhouse, enjoying a peaceful routine in their twilight years.
Despite the complexities of Dharmendra’s personal life, he remained married to Prakash Kaur throughout. On June 12, 2025, the couple completed an extraordinary 71 years of marriage—an enduring partnership that survived fame, distance, and the storm of public attention. While Dharmendra and Hema Malini became one of Bollywood’s most iconic couples, his marriage with Prakash Kaur remained a testament to loyalty, forgiveness, and a bond built long before the arc lights of cinema found him.