Feb 23, 2026 5:17pm IST
‘His Presence Went Beyond Borders; I Miss Him Every Single Minute’: Hema Malini on Dharmendra Being Honored at BAFTA 2026 (EXCLUSIVE)
As the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) unfolded last night, India had plenty of reasons to feel proud, foremost among them being the tribute paid to the legendary Indian superstar (the late)(not needed, though)Dharmendra, in the ‘In Memoriam’ segment. While it was an emotional moment for his fans and lovers of cinema, his wife Hema Malini also reacted to the tribute.
When asked about Dharmendra being honored at BAFTA 2026, Hema Malini told Variety India that it was "heartening" to see him remembered. Elaborating further, she said, “He was someone whose presence went beyond borders. He had fans in every part of the world. My God, the way he would be mobbed in foreign countries.”
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She also shared that they did not travel together often, except during film shoots. “We didn’t travel together much, except for shootings when we got to spend time together. We would sign lots of films together so we could spend time together,” she added.
The ‘He-Man’ of Hindi cinema passed away at 89 on November 24, 2025. Hema Malini said she misses him every minute. “I miss him every single minute. I keep asking myself, is he really gone? When will I meet him again?” she said.
Speaking about her favorite films of his, she added, “I like ‘Chupke Chupke' a lot — who doesn’t? And ‘Sholay,’ because of all the good times we had during the shooting. I haven’t seen all his films. I am going to watch them one by one, as soon as I get some time.”
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