In a heartwarming note, Hema Malini wished happy birthday to Dharam ji, her ‘dear heart’, two weeks after he passed away, leaving her heartbroken. The co-stars of innumerable films and married for 45 years, Dharmendra and Hema Malini were known for their unconventional love story that began unexpectedly on their film sets.

The actress in a soulful note on social media wrote that she was “slowly gathering up the pieces”, and trying to reconstruct her life after Dharmendra’s death.

“More than two weeks have passed since you left me heartbroken, slowly gathering up the pieces and trying to reconstruct my life, knowing that you will always be with me in spirit,” Hema wrote.

The actress, who posted unseen moments with Dharmendra in her earlier posts, said reliving moments of their togetherness are a great source of peace and joy.

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“The joyful memories of our life together can never be erased and just reliving those moments bring me great solace and happiness. I thank God for our lovely years together, for our two beautiful girls who reaffirm our love for each other and for all the beautiful, happy memories that will remain with me in my heart,” Hema wrote.

“My prayers for God to grant you the wealth of peace and happiness that you richly deserve for your humility and goodness of heart and your love for humanity. Happy birthday dear love❤️,” she added.

Hema also posted two rare photos of the couple, that marked their happy ‘together’ moments.

Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s unique love story

Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s love story has been one of the most iconic ones in Bollywood. Meeting for the first time during a film premiere and bonding on their film sets, the two formed an inseparable bond. Initially ignoring her growing feelings for a married man and aware of the consequences of getting involved with Dharmendra, Malini eventually asked Dharmendra to marry her, she told Simi Garewal in an interview.

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“In the beginning, I never bothered. Somewhere in my mind, I used to think, ‘If I ever marry, I must marry somebody like him.’ Not him, but somebody like him,” Hema recalled her initial feelings for Dharmendra on Simi Garewal’s show.

Dharmendra constantly used to tell Hema that he loved her a lot and she would just respond with – “Okay, okay, without giving much importance to it. However, Hema finally accepted the relationship. She told Simi “it was destiny.”

When Hema Malini asked Dharmendra to marry her

After being together for long, Hema said the thought of marrying someone else just didn’t feel right. “So one day, I called him and said, ‘You have to marry me now’,” she told Simi. Dharmendra responded saying: “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Even after their marriage, Hema said, she never tried to compete with his other family and never demanded time or attention. In her words – “In love, you are supposed to give, not demand. When you love a person so much, and you also receive so much love from them, how can you torture someone for small, petty things?”

“That’s the reason I never bothered, never irritated him, never put pressure on him. I wanted the love to continue. And that’s how it still is today; we love each other so much, nothing can come between us. I understand his problems, and I adjust everything according to him, because of which he loves me even more.”

“When you give so much, you receive so much. That is love; you must give respect to the love you have,” the actress further added in the interview.