ENTERTAINMENT

In an exclusive chat with HT City, Hema Malini talks about her new grandchild. “It’s such a beautiful feeling to become a grandmom again,” she says.

Actor Hema Malini is one excited grandmom. Her daughter, Esha Deol, gave birth to a baby girl on October 20 in Mumbai. In an exclusive chat with us, Hema says, “It’s such a beautiful feeling to become a grandmom again. I am very excited, even Dharmendraji is very happy. Esha is doing well, and the newborn baby girl, whom Esha and her husband Bharat Takhtani have decided to name Radhya, is so sweet and lovely-looking, like a little doll!” The name Radhya comes from Radha, which has got people in Mathura, Hema’s constituency as an MP, excited. “My Mathura people are very happy. Krishna ki nagri hai, toh Radha Rani is important there.” While Dharmendra and Hema were conspicuous by their absence in the photos which emerged online after Esha and Bharat stepped out of the hospital with Radhya, Hema says too much was made of nothing. “We didn’t go to the hospital because Bharat’s family went and brought her home. We were at home, preparing to welcome the baby. The first thing we did was aarti according to Hindu tradition. Outside, my staff were celebrating with sparklers. But we didn’t burst more crackers, as we did not want to disturb the child with the noise and also because it would have led to pollution,” says Hema.

“I was equally excited when Darien (son of Ahana Deol, Hema’s younger daughter) was born. He has grown up so fast and now goes to playschool. I am scared to hold these babies, even though I did it in my time.

But I am happy the way Esha and Bharat are handling things. They are so excited, almost as if they have a new toy to play with.” laughs Hema, adding “Ahana is helping Esha, since she’s more experienced. There are so many things to help both the parents and the child, which we didn’t have in our time.”

Hema Malini (right) and (above) Esha and Bharat with their baby girl