Dharmendra once opened up about a deeply personal chapter from his childhood during an appearance on Salman Khan's television show 'Dus Ka Dum'. The veteran actor appeared alongside his son Bobby Deol and spoke about the first girl he had feelings for.Years before Hema Malini became part of his life, Dharmendra had experienced an innocent schoolboy crush. He remembered a girl named Hamida, who was the daughter of his schoolteacher. The memory dated back to his childhood in pre-Partition Punjab. Dharmendra recalled those emotions decades later. He also revealed that he had turned the experience into a poem while he was still a student.

Dharmendra recalled his first love

Dharmendra spent his early years in a small Punjabi village before the Partition of India in 1947. When he was in class six, Dharmendra developed feelings for Hamida. She was older than him, studying in the eighth grade. He kept his feelings largely unspoken because he was too shy to approach her directly.Instead, the young Dharmendra would quietly look at Hamida and hope to sit near her. He later described how she had no idea about the emotions he was carrying. "Hum man hi man mein kehte rehte the. Thandi aahen bharte rehte the. Samne wali ko maloom hi nahi tha." (“I used to keep expressing my feelings silently in my heart. I would sigh with longing, while the person I loved had no idea about my feelings.”) The memory remained vivid for Dharmendra even after he became one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars.

Dharmendra wrote a poem about Hamida

Although Hamida never knew the extent of Dharmendra's feelings, the young actor found another way to express them. He wrote a poem about his innocent affection for her. Bobby Deol brought up the poem during their appearance on the show. Dharmendra then clarified that the verses were written during his school years."Main jab padhta tha, partition nahi hua tha, tab ki baat hai." (“I was still in school then; this was before Partition had happened.”) Dharmendra went on to recite the poem. In it, he described his age, Hamida's class and his desire to spend time around her. "Main chhota tha, maasoom thi umar meri. Woh kya thi, pata nahi. Paas jaane ko jiske, saath baithne ko jiske ji chahta tha. Woh taliba thi aathvi ki, main chhathi ka tha. Hamare school teacher ki beti thi, naam Hamida tha." (“I was young, and I was innocent. I don’t know what it was about her. I just wanted to be near her and sit beside her. She was in eighth grade, while I was in sixth. She was our schoolteacher’s daughter, and her name was Hamida.”)

Partition ended the childhood romance

The innocent connection never developed into a relationship. The Partition of 1947 changed the lives of millions of people, including Dharmendra and Hamida. Hamida and her family eventually moved to Pakistan. Dharmendra's family stayed in India. The two were never reunited after the Partition. However, Dharmendra continued to remember those early feelings. His poem preserved the memory of a time when his world revolved around school, family and an unspoken affection.

Dharmendra remembered their innocent conversations

Dharmendra recalled that Hamida would sometimes smile at him. Those small gestures were enough to make the young boy approach her. However, his nervousness often prevented him from saying what he actually wanted to say. He remembered lowering his head whenever she remained silent. "Yuhin muskura deti, main paas chala jaata. Woh khaamosh rehti, main sar jhuka deta. Woh poochti kuch aur thi, main keh kuch aur jaata tha. Woh kehti, 'Udaas mat ho, Dharam. Abhi waqt hai, tere imtihaan mein sab theek ho jaayega.' Keh kar chali jaati, main dekhta rehta. Woh ojhal ho jaati, main sochta rehta, 'Sawaal kya hai, yaar?'" (“She would smile casually, and I would go over to her. She would remain silent, and I would lower my head. She would ask me something, but I would say something completely different. She would say, ‘Don’t be sad, Dharam. There’s still time; everything will be fine in your exams.’ She would then walk away, and I would keep watching her. After she disappeared, I would keep wondering, ‘What was the question?’”)

More about Dharmendra

Known as the "He-man", Dharmendra became popular for his screen presence and performances in several blockbusters. He also worked as a producer and entered politics during his long career. Dharmendra died in Mumbai on November 24, 2025.His final film appearance was in the biographical war drama 'Ikkis'. The film was released in theatres on January 1, 2026.