Actress Esha Deol, daughter of the renowned Dharmendra, faced significant challenges in entering the film industry despite her family background. Her father, known for his orthodox views, was opposed to her pursuing an acting career and preferred she marry and settle down by 18. In a recent interview, she said, “He didn’t want that I should enter the movies. He is a bit orthodox, rightfully so. He is a Punjabi father, and he wanted that we should get married, settle down at 18.” She added, “There was a phase where I would lie to go out on late nights.”

In an interview with Hauterrfly, Esha Deol described her father as ‘rightfully orthodox’, explaining that his traditional views stemmed from his upbringing. She noted that he preferred her to marry young, as that was customary in his environment. The actress elaborated that while her father, a Punjabi, expected marriage and settling down by 18 due to his background, her own upbringing was quite different. 

“That is his conditioning, he is coming from a place where all the women in his house were brought up that way. But my upbringing was very different,” she said. 

The actress shared that growing up with her mother, Hema Malini, greatly influenced her desire to pursue a career in film. Esha was determined to establish her own name, but it took considerable effort to persuade her father. She acknowledged that convincing him was challenging, though the situation has since changed.

In the same conversation, Esha revealed that she grew up in a strict household, where her maternal grandmother imposed rules against wearing short skirts, spaghetti tops, and staying out late. “My grandmother was very strict. We were not allowed to wear spaghettis and short skirts and go out. We were not allowed many late nights,” she said. Esha mentioned that during a rebellious phase, she would lie to her parents to go out at night, admitting that she had enjoyed those experiences despite the rules.

Esha Deol made a significant impression with her vibrant performance in the song Dhoom Machale from Dhoom (2004), which cemented her bold persona. Despite the success of Dhoom, her subsequent films such as Dus, LOC: Kargil, Yuva, and No Entry did not achieve lasting success. After taking a break from the film industry, Esha has returned to the spotlight, with her latest appearance in Hunter: Tootega Nahi Todega.