Esha Deol has spoken about her personal life, including co-parenting with ex-husband Bharat Takhtani, her deep bond with father Dharmendra, and the values she holds close as a daughter and mother.
Opening up about raising her children after her separation, Esha stressed that she does not see herself as a single parent, crediting her continued partnership with Bharat in co-parenting their daughters.
Esha told Bombay Times, “I would say that while I am single, I don’t see myself as a single mom. By the grace of God, Bharat and I are very much a team when it comes to co-parenting our daughters. We are a family, and our children will always come first. To give them love and affection and be the strong pillars of support for them, that’s something we are deeply committed to,”
The actor also reflected emotionally on her relationship with her father, veteran actor Dharmendra, calling his presence a constant through every stage of her life.
“Every phase of my life has had his presence in it. It’s very difficult to pick just one. It’s a lifetime. It’s 44 years of a daughter looking up to that one man, her father. Just to be able to hold his hand, hear his voice – I miss everything about him every single day, and I always will,” she says. Remembering the nickname she had for him, Esha adds, “I always called him my Teddy Bear, and today my bed is filled with teddy bears because it just reminds me of him. The loss never really leaves. You just learn to carry it. I carry him in my heart, and I carry his strength with me wherever I am now,” said Esha.
Speaking about her upbringing, Esha credited both Dharmendra and her mother, actor-politician Hema Malini, for shaping her values.
“I always say I am blessed to be born to such beautiful human beings. My parents are one of a kind and irreplaceable. There can never be another Dharmendra or Hema Malini. I’m proud to be called Hema Malini aur Dharmendra ki beti – that’s the best identity I could have had, and I am grateful for it.”
She added that her children learn by observing her relationship with her parents. “My kids see the love and respect I have for my parents, and that’s how they learn – to be humble, show respect and be kind.”
Esha and Bharat are parents to two daughters, Radhya and Miraya. While Radhya was born in 2017, they welcomed Miraya in 2019.
