Who Is Deepti Bhatnagar? How Dharmendra’s Daughter-In-Law Went From Modelling And Training Under Shah Rukh Khan To Becoming a Travel Vlogger

If there is one thing Bollywood loves almost as much as its films, it is the sprawling, multi-generational dynasties that keep entertainment conversations going long after the credits roll. For decades, the Deols have been one such household name. Dharmendra’s effortless charm, Sunny and Bobby’s action-packed stardom, and the creative detours taken by Abhay and Esha have ensured that the family stays firmly in the cultural spotlight. But every now and then, someone quietly steps out of the frame, performs a graceful pivot, and ends up building a legacy far away from the cinematic glare. That is exactly what Deepti Bhatnagar did. Dharmendra’s daughter-in-law, who once trained under Shah Rukh Khan and travelled through the tightrope world of films and modelling,

chose to embrace the open road, swap scripts for suitcases, and reinvent herself as one of India’s earliest travel-show creators at a time when nobody in television was thinking about wanderlust. Her story has the unpredictability of a filmi plot, the charm of a small-town dreamer, a dash of glamour, and the kind of self-made grit that deserves its own Sunday feature. And now, as Bollywood remembers Dharmendra — who passed away at 89 in Mumbai, just days short of his 90th birthday — it feels fitting to revisit the life of the woman who quietly became part of the Deol family yet carved an entirely independent identity along the way.

Deepti Bhatnagar Early Life

Before the lights, cameras, and travel shows, there was Meerut — where Deepti Bhatnagar grew up far from the trappings of the film industry. When she moved to Mumbai, acting wasn’t even on her mind. She started a small handicrafts business, a detail that feels almost poetic considering how her career would later revolve around local cultures, artisans, and stories from around the world. Fate, however, has a knack for stepping in. A chance encounter with modelling changed everything. Within months, she had won a national beauty pageant at just 18. The industry, always hungry for fresh faces, embraced her instantly. Endorsements, commercials, and runway shows followed. In an interview with Hindustan Times in 2022, she recalled her early ambition with refreshing candour: she opened her first bank account at SBI Juhu at 22 and promised herself she’d earn her first lakh in a month — and she did. She also bought her dream home in Juhu in just 11 months, purchasing it from Madhuri Dixit, a fun trivia nugget for Bollywood followers.

Deepti Bhatnagar: A Reluctant Actor Who Trained Under Shah Rukh Khan

Modelling success naturally draws the film industry in, and Deepti soon found herself making her debut with Sanjay Gupta’s Ram Shastra in 1995. Offers came swiftly: the Telugu hit Pelli Sandadi (1996), Tamil film Dharma Chakkaram (1997), and even the Hollywood spy thriller Inferno. She acted in Mann (1999) alongside Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala and front-lined the TV thriller Yeh Hai Raaz as a police officer. But here’s the twist most people don’t know: Deepti never felt at home in front of the camera. She famously walked away from Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa despite Shah Rukh Khan personally training her for the role of Anna. “I ran away from the screen test,” she admitted later. The role eventually went to Suchitra Krishnamoorthy. Another piece of trivia straight from her interviews: she avoided meeting Dharmendra early in her career despite doing an ad with Sunny Deol because she found the idea intimidating. Ironically, she would one day become part of the extended Deol family.

Deepti Bhatnagar: Becoming Dharmendra’s Daughter-In-Law

Deepti married Randeep Arya, the son of Dharmendra’s cousin Veerendra — a Punjabi actor who was popular in the 1980s. Their story sounds straight out of a sweet rom-com: they acted together in a Fair & Lovely commercial where Randeep played her husband. They got engaged the same year, moved in together, and after eight years, she gently prodded him with, “Shaadi karoge ab?” The couple now has two sons, Shubh and Shiv, both of whom have accompanied her on travel shoots over the years.

Deepti Bhatnagar: Reinventing Herself As A Travel Show Pioneer

In 2001, Deepti and Randeep launched their production house, setting the stage for what would become one of the biggest turning points of her life. Long before Instagram reels or travel influencers existed, she created Yatra and Musafir Hoon Yaaron for Star Plus — shows that introduced Indian audiences to destinations in India and across the world. Her programmes were a refreshing shift from the typical travel format. They were warm, curious, rooted in culture, and beautifully grounded in human stories. While awards and ratings praised her, Deepti often credited the journey itself for shaping her. “Yatra and Musafir Hoon Yaaron taught me humility and how to connect with people,” she once shared. Across the years, she travelled to nearly 90 countries, often juggling motherhood and production schedules with an ease that makes multitasking look deceptively simple. Fun fact: At a time when shooting abroad was considered a luxury reserved for big-budget films, Deepti was quietly exploring global landscapes for Indian television.

Deepti Bhatnagar Today: A Travel Vlogger With A Loyal Audience

Even as television evolved, Deepti adapted effortlessly. She moved to digital content and built a strong following on YouTube, where over 190,000 subscribers tune in for her travel diaries. Her videos are a blend of family travel, cultural exploration, history, gastronomy, and luxury experiences — all narrated in a warm, unfussy voice. In one of her interviews, she summed up her journey with quiet pride: “Maybe if I had made acting my goal, I would have done more films. But I feel I’ve done really well for myself.” She has. Not every star chooses the limelight. Some choose the road — and find themselves along the way.

Deepti Bhatnagar: The Legacy She Built, Far Away From Films

As the film fraternity mourns Dharmendra, the man who shaped an era of Indian cinema, stories from his extended family feel even more evocative. Deepti Bhatnagar’s life is a reminder that not every Bollywood story has to be confined to the studio floors. Some stories are written in airports, on winding hill roads, in busy city markets, in spiritual retreats, and on bridges overlooking foreign rivers. Her journey — from Meerut to modelling, from films to globe-trotting, from reluctant actor to one of India’s earliest travel show creators — remains one of the most quietly inspiring tales connected to the Deol family. And perhaps that’s what makes her stand out: in a world driven by stardom, she chose movement, curiosity, and the world itself as her stage.