Veteran actress and politician Hema Malini reacted to her late husband, legendary Bollywood star Dharmendra, not being included in the televised In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards. Dharmendra, fondly known as the “He-Man of Bollywood,” passed away in November last year at the age of 89 following age-related illness.
While his name appeared in the extended In Memoriam list on the Oscars’ official website, his absence from the live broadcast segment surprised many fans in India.
Interestingly, Dharmendra was honoured earlier this year at BAFTA Awards, where the ceremony paid tribute to the veteran actor during its In Memoriam segment. Speaking about that recognition earlier, Hema Malini had said that the late star’s influence went far beyond India and that he was admired by audiences worldwide.
After the Oscars telecast, several fans took to social media to express disappointment that the veteran actor was not mentioned during the ceremony’s televised tribute.
Reacting to the development in an interaction with Bollywood Hungama, Hema Malini said, “It is a shame, of course. A shame for them to have overlooked an actor who means so many things to so many people in many parts of the world. Dharamji was known and recognised everywhere.”
However, she added that Dharmendra himself would likely not have been concerned about the omission. Reflecting on his career, she said he rarely focused on awards.
“He never got too many awards during his lifetime. Why should he care about the Oscars? Both of us, we were happy to be loved in our country. But awards always eluded him. Even I didn’t get any award for my best performances in Lal Patthar and Meera.”
The live broadcast of the ceremony remembered several well-known international film personalities who passed away recently. Among those honoured were Diane Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, Robert Redford, Udo Kier, Rob Reiner, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman and Val Kilmer.
Despite the controversy surrounding the tribute, Dharmendra remains one of the most beloved stars in Hindi cinema. With a career spanning decades, he delivered several iconic performances and built a loyal fan base across generations.
