When Dharmendra’s alleged affair with actress Anita Raj sparked controversy following marriage to Hema Malini |

Bollywood’s golden age not only marked the release of some iconic films, but were all peppered with rumours of scandal that gripped the public’s interest. One such tabloid tale involves veteran actor Dharmendra. At the time, the actor, who was at the height of his fame, shocked fans when he converted his religion to wed his second wife Hema Malini.
Dharmendra, who first married Prakash Kaur in 1957, found himself in the spotlight when he fell for Hema during their collaboration in the 1970s. However, as his first wife refused to grant him a divorce, Dharmendra chose to convert to Islam to marry Hema in 1980. Their relationship became one of Bollywood’s most talked-about love stories. However, it wasn’t long before the actor found himself linked to another co-star.

Dharmendra and Hema’s marriage hit the headlines once again when the ator began getting linked to Anita Raj, a rising actress who was 27 years his junior. Known for her roles in films like ‘Karishma Kudrat Ka’, ‘Zalzala’, and ‘Insaniyat Ke Dushman’, she was praised for her beauty and her on-screen chemistry with the actor.

It wasn’t long before their crackling on-screen chemistry gave way to rumours of a romance possibly brewing off-screen. That’s when Hema allegedly stepped in and gave her husband a firm warning. The two eventually stopped working together on films and the rumours died down after Anita Raj married filmmaker Sunil Hingorani in 1986.