Bhagyashree became the woman of every man’s dreams as soon as her film, Maine Pyar Kiya hit the box-office and went on to create a massive sensation. Nearly everyone was in awe of her sheer beauty, and she became the dream girl of her fans. But little did they know that her interaction on the silver screen would be short-lived and it was her love life with Himalaya Dasani that would be a catalyst of her bidding adieu to it.
Bhagyashree had met the man of her dreams, Himalaya Dasani quite early on in her life, when she was in school. Much like a filmy movie, Himalaya being the naughtiest brat in the class had developed feelings for the completely opposite personality in Bhagyashree, who was disciplined and docile. Recalling how only on the last day of their school, Himalaya had frankly spoken about his love for her, Bhagyashree mentioned:
“We went to school together — he was the naughtiest kid in class and I was always the class monitor. We would fight all the time and the rest of the class would have a blast! We were like Yin and Yang — the more we fought, the more it became clear that we couldn’t be apart. We never dated though…he never even told me how he felt until the last day of school. He said, ‘I have to tell you something’ and then for one week he kept trying to say it but would always back out. Finally, I went upto him and said, ‘look, just say it…I’m sure the answer will be positive’ and that’s when he told me he liked me.”
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For the many unversed, Bhagyashree belonged to the royal Marathi family of Sangli in the Patwardhan district of Maharashtra. Her father, Vijay Singhrao Madhavrao Patwardhan is the acting Raja of Sangli. Since they belonged to a royal lineage, therefore the entire family was overwhelmingly conservative and protocol driven. Thus, when they learnt about Bhagyashree’s relationship with Himalaya, they staunchly opposed such a match. Thereafter, succumbing to parental pressure, Bhagyashree ended her relationship and broke up with Himalaya. Recalling those past times, in an interview with the Humans Of Bombay, she had mentioned:
“I come from a very conservative family, so even after that while we were in college, we would barely meet or talk on the phone. When I told my parents about him, they thought we were too young to decide something like this, and I believed as well that if he really loved me, we should be apart for some time — he should explore, know that I’m the one and then we could be together. So we did break up when he went away to the US to study, and that’s when I signed Maine Pyar Kiya."
During this period of distancing between the couple, while Himalaya flew off to the U.S. for higher studies, Bhagyashree on the other hand, had signed her first film, Maine Pyar Kiya and was even shooting for the same. However, while the couple was not on talking terms at that point, but Bhagyashree knew for sure that the duo would end up together in future. Therefore, she went ahead and asked permission from Himalaya’s parents, and sought if they would have any problems if she was to work in films. Talking about the same, Bhagyashree had once mentioned:
“Before signing the film, while he was still in the States I went and met his parents to ask them if they were okay with me getting into films…we weren’t even together at that point, but I guess somewhere I knew that we would in the future. They said that they had no problems…and I began shooting.”
Well, after this brief period of halt, Himalaya returned to the country after finishing his education, and at a time when Bhagyashree was working in films. The old feelings between them were still the same and both knew for a fact that they were meant to be together. Thus, Bhagyashree decided to convince her parents one last time before taking the decision to marry after eloping. In her words:
“When he came back home during the course of the shooting, we both knew that we wanted to be together, but my parents still wouldn’t allow us to meet or speak on the phone…so I decided to speak to them. I told them that seeing him made me happy, that I couldn't be without him, but they were still adamantly against our relationship. I knew then that there wasn’t any other way.”
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All her attempts at convincing her parents came to vain as they even refused her to speak or see him anymore. It was at this time when Bhagyashree decided that elopement was the only way for her if she was to live a life with Himalaya. In an interview with the Humans Of Bombay, Bhagyashree had recalled the last deciding call she made to Himalaya demanding him to pick her up within fifteen minutes. She recalled:
“I called him up after this conversation and asked him, ‘are you sure of yourself, of us? This is the deciding day…either I’d be in his life forever or not at all.’ I said, ‘I’m leaving my house now, if you love me come and pick me up’ and within 15 minutes he was under my house.”
Finally, after years of waiting, unsuccessful convincing and a long period of gap, Bhagyashree and Himalaya Dasani finally became one in a temple marriage in 1990. Since the duo had eloped to be with one another, their wedding was a small ceremony that was only attended by Himalaya’s parents, and Bhagyashree’s co-actor, Salman Khan and her director, Sooraj Barjatya. Recalling that special day, Bhagyashree mentioned:
“We had a small ceremony at a temple — his parents, Salman, Sooraj ji, a few of our friends attended and that’s how we go married.”
The release of Maine Pyar Kiya interceded with Bhagyashree’s marriage with Himalaya. However, as the film garnered a lot of success and Bhagyashree’s acting had started to get noticed as the next big thing in Bollywood, unfortunately, she had already decided by that time to quit the glamour world. Recalling how many considered her foolish for taking such a decision, she mentioned:
“Thereafter, Maine Pyar Kiya went on to become such a big hit, but I was a woman so in love with my husband and my son Abhimanyu who was born soon after that I said no to every offer I got. I have absolutely no regrets though, I look at my life, my family now and I feel so proud. Yash Ji always said, ‘you’re a foolish girl’ and oh yes, I loved being foolish!”
Bhagyashree’s decision to leave stardom right at the peak of her career was not taken well by many people. She has ever since been constantly faced with the tag of taking a foolish decision, which she has embraced with open arms. But despite it, she has never felt an inch of regret for the same. In an interview, she once opened up on the same and mentioned that she was happy being a homemaker. In her words:
“Very often, people say ‘giving up such a bright career’ is backward, but I disagree. I respect and admire career women who can juggle both, but I took the decision of being a full invested home maker…and believe me, that’s a thankless job. But it’s all worth it when you see your children growing up into fine human beings.”
Fast forward to this day, nearly 33 years have passed since Bhagyashree’s marriage with Himalaya. And their marital bliss to this date has been the exact same like their high-school love. Moreover, the duo is now proud parents to their children, Abhimanyu and Avantika Dasani, both of whom have followed in the footsteps of their mother by entering the glamour world.
What do you think about Bhagyashree and Himalaya’s love story?
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