26 February,2026 10:56 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Hema Malini on family equations
Late actor Dharmendra was honoured in a memorial segment at the 79th edition of the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). The awards ceremony, held on Sunday in London, included late Dharmendra as the sole Indian representative in its tribute to the cinematic greats lost over the past year. It was an emotional moment for the Deol family. His wife, Hema Malini, got emotional as the actor was honoured. While remembering him, she addressed rumours of a family rift.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Hema dismissed claims that she and her daughters, Esha and Ahana, were not on good terms with Dharmendra's other family members after his demise. She said, "Papa hai na, papa ke liye sab karenge. (Papa is there, and everyone will do anything for Papa.) Be it these bachchas (Esha, Ahana) or those bachchas (Sunny, Bobby), they were all very fond of Dharamji. They are very fond of each other. There is no negativity at all between the family. When Dharamji is there, where is the negativity? Dharamji was a source of love, strength, and values that he has passed on to them."
Esha and Ahana were seen at the Border 2 screening, and they even posed with Sunny Deol. Hema Malini revealed she was also invited for the occasion but missed it due to unforeseen circumstances. "I was invited too, but I could not make it. They were very keen that I come and watch the movie. We don't display all these moments in public, and why should we? It's all within our family, and why should we expose it? People should understand instead of talking this and that. We are all okay, and we will cope with this void."
"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, and I'm a strong person. However strong you are, it's not possible; breakdown toh hota hai. All the associates, his spot boy, everyone is so sad. They keep coming to me and saying, âSaab ki yaad aa rahi hai, main saab ko chai deta tha.' So you can imagine how much we are missing him."
For those unversed, Dharmendra died on November 24 last year at the age of 89 at his residence in Mumbai due to a prolonged illness. At BAFTA, 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 for their contribution to cinema.
