“Wearing Shorts at My In-Laws Was Not Allowed”: Esha

Bollywood actress Esha Deol and her former husband Bharat Takhtani announced their divorce in 2023. Following the end of their relationship, Takhtani recently revealed a new relationship with Meghna Lakhani, an entrepreneur who owns a company in the UAE since 2019, producing high-quality, sustainable, and eco-friendly products.

Esha Deol and Bharat Takhtani were once one of Bollywood’s most talked-about couples. Their 2012 wedding, the union of the daughter of stars Hema Malini and Dharmendra, was celebrated as a royal, fairytale-like affair.

However, their marriage lasted just 11 years. In 2024, both issued a joint statement confirming the end of their marital journey: “By mutual and peaceful decision, we have chosen to part ways.”

In her book “Amma Mia”, Esha spoke openly about the cultural shock she experienced entering the Takhtani household.

Before marriage, she was accustomed to wearing shorts, short pants, and vests at home, but in her in-laws’ house, such attire was strictly prohibited. Despite these restrictions, she found comfort in the warmth and affection of her in-laws, particularly praising her mother-in-law: “She never asked me to go to the kitchen or pressured me to perform traditional duties that she herself once had to do.”

Esha and Bharat have two daughters, Radhya and Miraya, who remain the central focus of their lives even after divorce. Both parents prioritise their children’s welfare, as emphasised in their post-separation statements: “The well-being of our daughters is our primary focus.”

After the divorce, Esha has devoted herself to her work and her daughters. Meanwhile, Bharat has been seen recently in Europe with Meghna Lakhani. Social media posts showed Meghna accompanying Bharat in Europe, captioned: “Our journey begins from here,”

signifying the start of a new chapter in Bharat’s life.

The story of Esha and Bharat — from a royal wedding, through years of love, and ultimately a peaceful separation — reads like a Bollywood script: colourful, glamorous, yet tinged with melancholy.

Esha’s reflections illustrate resilience and adaptation in personal life, balancing cultural expectations, professional ambitions, and her role as a mother, while Bharat embarks on a fresh chapter with Meghna.