Did you know Sanjeev wanted to marry Hema?

Sanjeev Kumar, whose name was originally Harihar Jethalal Jariwala, is regarded as one of the most talented actors of Indian cinema. While he is remembered for the diversity and depth he brought to the screen, it is well-known that his personal life was not as satisfying as his professional life.
Though there were various rumors about him being romantically involved with actresses of his time, including Nutan and Saira Banu, the love he had for Hema Malini always stood out. Their rather emotional and sincere love affair started during the shooting of the movie ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’ in 1972.
According to ‘An Actor’s Actor’, the biography of Snajeev Kumar written by Hanif Zaveri and Semant Batara, their relationship grew deeper while filming the popular song ‘Hawa Ke Saath Saath’ in Mahabaleshwar when there was an accident with the trolley, which nearly cost them both their lives. That shared moment of vulnerability brought them even closer.
The proposal

Eventually, Sanjeev Kumar revealed to Hema that he wanted to marry her. Initially, his mother, Shantaben, was not eager for her son to marry an actress. But upon carefully examining Hema when she visited their home, she was struck by her elegance and simplicity and gave her consent. Soon after, there were large differences between each family.
Hema's mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, imposed one condition: that her daughter would continue to act after marriage. Sanjeev Kumar and his family had a conflict of viewpoint based on tradition: they expected Hema to leave her career and professional life to be a homemaker and settle down in family life.
One condition changed everything
Though Hema reportedly promised to complete her existing projects, she hoped Sanjeev would ultimately support her career. Unfortunately, neither side was willing to compromise. This difference in expectations led to the end of their relationship.
Sanjeev’s desire for a traditional lifelong homemaker was not an unusual dream for a 1970s man, and perhaps it was not entirely his fault. Despite the amount of love they had for each other, they never reunited. Sanjeev Kumar remained single until he passed away at age 47 soon after. Their romance will likely remain one of the most emotional love stories of Bollywood.