Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’ actor Dharmendra passed away on November 25. Within days, speculation began over how his estimated ₹400 crore estate will be distributed.
Legal analysts are already working through various complex scenarios. His assets reportedly include a luxury bungalow in Mumbai; a 100-acre farmhouse in Lonavala, where he lived for much of his later years with his first wife Prakash Kaur; as well as more than ₹17 crore invested in real estate. Additional holdings include revenue from the ‘Garam Dharam Dhaba’ and He-Man restaurants in Haryana, a collection of luxury cars and a production company, Vijeeta Films, registered in the name of his eldest daughter.
The complexity arises from the fact that Dharmendra had two wives, first Prakash Kaur and later Hema Malini, and six children: Sunny, Bobby, Ajita, Vijeeta, Esha and Ahana. According to Indian media, Dharmendra left no will. Under India’s inheritance laws, the estate would typically be divided equally among the six children. Yet the legitimacy of the second marriage could complicate matters further. Legal experts note that if the marriage to Prakash Kaur is still recognised as valid under law, Hema Malini would not automatically qualify as an heir. Some reports claim that Dharmendra changed his religion to Islam before marrying Hema.
If true, that could further complicate the legal status of the marriage. However, Hema Malini has publicly stated she does not wish to claim any share of Dharmendra’s estate, saying that only their love matters to her.
