The infamous on-set fight between Bollywood actresses Esha Deol and Amrita Rao in 2006, in which Esha confessed to having slapped her co-star, is still a talked-about topic.
What added fuel to the fire was how Esha received full support from her mother, veteran actress Hema Malini, who actually justified her daughter’s physical retaliation.
Hema Malini backs daughter Esha Deol in slapping controversy
The incident happened on the sets of the movie Pyare Mohan. Esha Deol, later in an interview, stated that she slapped Amrita Rao in a fit of rage after Amrita allegedly verbally abused her in front of the director, Indra Kumar, and the cameraman, shortly after the pack-up. Esha said that she had “no regrets”, believing Amrita “totally deserved it” for her behaviour and that the action was needed to protect her “self-respect and dignity”.
Esha Deol and Amrita Rao on Pyare MohanHema Malini’s justification
The controversy began again when Esha and Hema Malini came on Aap Ki Adalat. When asked about the ‘slap-gate’, Esha accepted the act, saying, “Kisi ne agar kuch galat kiya aur hum baaton se unhe samjha nahi paate hain, toh…” (If someone has done something wrong and we cannot make them understand through words, then…).
Supporting her daughter over the incident, Hema Malini put the blame on Amrita’s behaviour, stating Esha was left with no option. The Sholay actress said, “Dekhiya, agar koi galat baatein kehte rehte hain aur samjhaane ke baad bhi nahi samjhte hain toh kuch alag dhang se samjhana padta hai” (Look, if someone keeps saying wrong things and doesn’t understand even after explaining, then they must be made to understand in a different way).
The latter statement by Hema Malini insinuated that since Amrita was perennially misbehaving, Esha’s reaction, although physical, was justified, implying that her outburst was a necessary measure of self-defence.
Despite the highly publicised altercation, Esha later forgave Amrita after she apologised, and Esha has mentioned their relationship has since improved. But more than that, it is the legendary actress Hema Malini’s public support for her daughter’s action that remains a striking moment in Bollywood’s history of catfights. You may want to catch up with Esha Deol’s latest projects?