Three months after India lost one of its greatest screen legends, the world paused to remember him. Dharmendra — actor, icon, and the man Hema Malini calls her life partner — was honoured in the In Memoriam section of the 79th BAFTA Awards held in London last Sunday, making him the only Indian artist to feature in BAFTA 2025’s prestigious posthumous tribute.
A Global Farewell to He-Man of Bollywood
Dharmendra shared the In Memoriam spotlight with international giants including Val Kilmer, Robert Duvall, Brigitte Bardot, Rob Reiner, Tom Stoppard, Udo Kier, and Diane Ladd. For an actor whose stardom was built largely within India and the Indian diaspora, the BAFTA recognition carries a weight that goes far beyond awards season.
Hema Malini, visibly moved, told us exclusively: “It was a beautiful moment and he deserves it. It’s a huge honour not just for us but for the entire country — none of the Indian artistes have received it this year. He had fans not just across the country but over the world, so inspiring not just as an actor but as a human being. There will never be another like him, so we are all happy and excited about the BAFTA mention.”
“Breakdown Toh Hota Hai” — Hema Malini on Grief and Strength
February 24th marked exactly three months since Dharmendra passed away in November 2025. The pain, Hema says, hasn’t eased — it has simply become something she carries.
“It’s not possible to accept that he has gone. I think of it and get teary-eyed, but we have to get out of the sadness. I’m a strong person — however strong you are, it’s not possible. Breakdown toh hota hai,” she said quietly.
The grief isn’t hers alone. Dharmendra’s spot boy, his associates, people who spent years on sets with him — they keep showing up at her door. “They keep coming to me and saying, ‘Saab ki yaad aa rahi hai, main saab koi chai deta tha,'” she recalled. “So you can imagine how much we are missing him.”
She also spoke wistfully about their shared screen legacy. “What we have done in the past will remain as memories for the audience now. I’m glad that more than half my life was spent as a co-artiste as well as him being my life partner.”
Family United: “Dharamji Tha, Toh Negativity Kahan?”
Speculation has swirled for years about tension between Dharmendra’s two families — Hema Malini with daughters Esha and Ahana on one side, and first wife Prakash Kaur with sons Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and daughters Vijeta and Ajeita on the other. When Esha and Ahana showed up to support Sunny at a screening of his recent film Border 2, social media took notice.
Hema shut down the narrative firmly. “Papa hai na — papa ke liye sab karenge, be it these bachchas or those bachchas. They were all very fond of Dharamji and very fond of each other. There is no negativity at all. Dharamji was a source of love, strength, and values that he has passed on to them.”
She added that she was invited to the Border 2 screening too but couldn’t attend. “They were very keen that I come and watch the movie. We don’t display all these moments in public — and why should we? People should understand instead of talking this and that. We are all okay and we will cope with this void.”
Keeping His Memory Alive — One Dance at a Time
Hema Malini has been channelling her grief into her first love: dance. She’s been travelling for dance shows and says she intends to keep going. “Dharamji loved watching me dance and would say I should never stop because it’s important to be mentally and physically fit. Even at shootings, I would take my guruji with me — so Dharamji ki unse dosti bhi ho gayi,” she smiled.
On acting, she remains open but selective. “If any good film role comes my way, I will do it — kuch achcha aata hi nahi.” OTT, she’s unsure about for now.
As BAFTA 2025 reminded the world this week, Dharmendra’s legacy was never just Bollywood’s to claim. Hema Malini’s words make one thing clear — his family will carry that legacy forward, together, just as he would have wanted.
