When Dharmendra landed up drunk at Hema's home just before she was to marry Jeetendra

Love is always a tricky affair and no one knows it better than Hema Malini and Dharmendra. And mentioning about it in great detail was Hema herself in her biography, Beyond The Dream Girl when Dharmendra landed up at her Madras home, drunk, just in time to stop her from marrying Jeetendra.

Hema has been rather candid that her parents disapproved of Dharmendra for their daughter. Hema was, of course, madly in love with him and managed to keep it a secret for a long time, meeting him only on film sets. However, like it always happens, the cat was out of the bag soon and her family got to know of it. It so happened that once she disappeared for a whole day and by the time she came back home in the evening, her mother Jaya knew that she had to keep a stricter watch on her. She also understood that the only lasting solution to the vexed problem would be to get her daughter married.

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It is equally well known that Hema had many suitors - Jeetendra and even Sanjeev Kumar were smitten by her charm. Hema shared a very warm and cordial relationship with Jeetendra, and though he had been more than keen on her, she had always shown disinterest. Over time, Jeetendra realised that it was not going to work out the way he intended it to be and they reconciled to being good friends.

Hema's mother Jaya had other plans. Never happy with the idea of her daughter dating a married man with kids, she began convincing her daughter to marry Jeetendra. In due time, Hema agreed to at least meet his family, who were naturally ecstatic. Jeetendra, the book says, had his misgivings but went along for the sake of his family. He was quoted in the book confiding in a friend: "I don’t want to marry Hema. I am not in love with her. She is not in love with me. But my family wants it, so I might as well. And she is such a good girl."

Hema agreed reluctantly and a clandestine marriage was arranged, away from media glare. It had to be quick and hence, both the set of families flew to Chennai (then Madras). The plan was derailed as a local daily got the wind of it and went ahead with its big story. As the news reached Mumbai, Dharmendra was hit by a jolt. Without wasting time, he went to meet Jeetendra's then girlfriend and now wife, Shobha Sippy and together they landed in Chennai.

All hell broke loose as the duo landed at Hema's home, where the marriage was scheduled to take place. Red with rage seeing Dharmendra there, Hema's father pushed him out of the house and boomed: "Why don’t you get out of my daughter’s life? You are a married man, you can’t marry my daughter." But a pleading, sentimental and slightly inebriated Dharmendra wouldn't budge an inch. Finally it was agreed that he would talk to Hema alone in a room. Outside that room, Hema's parents, Jeetendra, his family and Shobha and marriage registrar waited patiently.

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Inside, more drama unfolded as Dharmendra begged Hema not to go ahead with the marriage and that it would be a 'big mistake' on her part. Outside, it was Shobha's turn to blast the daylights out of Jeetendra. When, Hema finally came out of the room, puffy-eyed and visibly shaken, she asked all to step out for a bit. Jeetendra and her family flatly refused - it was now or never. As all waited for a reply, Hema quietly shook her head. Jeetendra and his family stormed out to the venue, unable to bare the insult.

Hema later married Dharmendra. The couple has two daughters--Esha and Ahana Deol, and a bunch of cute grandchildren.