BAFTA Awards 2026 was undoubtedly a proud moment for Indians. From Alia Bhatt addressing the crowd in Hindi, Boong winning big, to Dharmendra being honoured during the In Memoriam segment, the day was nothing short of amazing. As Dharmendra was honoured on the global stage, his wife, Hema Malini, got candid about his stardom and recalled how he was mobbed in foreign countries.
Hema Malini remembers Dharmendra’s stardom
While speaking about Dharmendra being honoured at BAFTA, Hema Malini told Variety India, “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.”
She further added, “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. I miss him every single minute. I keep asking myself, is he really gone? When will I meet him again?”
Speaking about her favourite 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.”
Dharmendra honoured at BAFTA
In the In Memoriam segment, his image appeared on screen alongside French actress-singer Brigitte Bardot and German actor Udo Kier. Global legends like Robert Duvall, Catherine O`Hara, Val Kilmer, Rob Reiner, and Tom Stoppard, among others, were also remembered at BAFTA for their contribution to cinema.
Dharmendra died on November 24 last year at the age of 89 at his residence in Mumbai due to a prolonged illness. His career spanned six decades and over 300 films. Affectionately dubbed the ‘He-Man’ of Indian cinema for his rugged physique and striking looks, he was a rare actor who mastered every genre, from romance to action. His final big-screen appearance was in filmmaker Sriram Raghavan’s movie Ikkis, which released in January. The movie also starred Agastya Nanda.
In the past, actors like Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor, and Dilip Kumar, and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar were also honoured at BAFTA.
