Veteran actor Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24, 2025 at his residence in Mumbai at the age of 89 due to an age-related illness, has been posthumously conferred the Padma Vibhushan for his outstanding contribution to the arts, recognising his decades-long legacy in Indian cinema. His wife, actor-politician Hema Malini, reacted to the honour, saying her late husband 'deserved' it earlier.
Hema Malini Reacts To Dharmendra's Posthumous Padma Vibhushan Honour
Hema said she received the news about Dharmendra's posthumous Padma Vibhushan honour earlier this morning and feels immensely proud of him, adding that he made significant contributions to the film industry. She told Hindustan Times, "As an actor, and as a human being too, he has been such a wonderful person. He would always help people, and that was extraordinary. He deserves this."
'Dharmendra Deserved It Much Earlier'
Further, Hema added, "He deserved it much earlier as well. Anyway, that they have given now is itself a matter of great honour."
The actress also penned a heartfelt note for Dharmendra on her official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, soon after the Padma Awards 2026 were announced, writing, "So so proud that the govt has recognised Dharam ji’s immense contribution to the film industry by bestowing on him the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award."
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Padma Awards 2026 Full List
Apart from Dharmendra, this year's Padma Awards list features five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. On the eve of Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled the official list of 2026 awardees.
Prominent personalities from the entertainment industry honoured this year include singer Alka Yagnik (Padma Bhushan), actors Mammootty and Piyush Pandey (Posthumous, Padma Bhushan), and Padma Shri recipients R. Madhavan, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Satish Shah (Posthumous).
