Late Dharmendra, the great actor known as the ‘He-Man’ of Indian cinema, has been posthumously awarded ‘Padma Vibhushan’, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, for his incomparable contribution to the cinema world for more than six decades. Dharmendra’s wife and veteran actress-politician Hema Malini accepted the award from President Draupadi Murmu in a grand ceremony held in Delhi. After receiving the award, Hema Malini shared a very emotional and heart-touching message for her late spouse on social media, which left fans and cinema lovers in tears.
Recalling this very personal moment, Hema said that while walking towards the stage, she felt as if Dharmendra himself was holding her hand and leading her towards President Draupadi Murmu, who presented the award. His message also recalled the years they spent together—be it on screen or in real life—and the many roles Dharmendra played in the family and beyond.
An emotional moment of the ceremony
In her message shared on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Hema described the ceremony as full of emotions and memories. She wrote, “A moment of extreme joy! A moment when I truly felt the warm presence of my husband Dharmendra ji; as if he was holding my hand and leading me towards the stage where his ‘Padma Vibhushan’ award was waiting for him.”
She said the moment brought back decades of memories—from their time together as co-stars in so many iconic films to the journey they have taken as life partners. Hema wrote that she became emotional when she thought about Dharmendra’s place in her life and in the lives of people around her.
Memories of husband, father and mentor
Hema said that the event refreshed her memories of Dharmendra not only as a film star but also as a family man and a very loving person. He wrote, “As soon as these thoughts arose in my mind, tears welled up in my eyes.” He remembered Dharmendra as a loving husband, a doting father and grandfather, a trusted mentor and a deeply generous man admired by millions.
He further said that he has accepted this ‘Padma Vibhushan’ with utmost humility on behalf of his family as well as Dharmendra’s fans and well-wishers from different generations. She wrote, “I express my gratitude to Almighty God for providing me with a wonderful life partner, whose memories I will cherish till the last breath of my life.”
A relationship remembered by many generations
For generations of Hindi cinema lovers, Hema Malini and Dharmendra have been one of Bollywood’s most memorable love stories. This story was created by their iconic films and strengthened by decades of collaboration behind the scenes. Their note after the ceremony reflected both their shared public legacy and their personal sadness at remembering their long life together.
Dharmendra, famous as Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’, died on November 24, 2025 at the age of 89. He was recognized for his contribution to Indian cinema for more than six decades. The note written by Hema after receiving the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ award in Delhi reflected both this public honor and her personal memories of the person whom she considered her ‘soulmate’.
Entertainment News Hindi Today only at Prabhasakshi
An euphoric moment! A moment when I actually felt my husband Dharam ji’s warm presence, holding my hand and guiding me to the dais where his Padma Vibhushan award awaited him❤️
Yday at the serene Padma award function, as Her Excellency the President personally handed out the… pic.twitter.com/bK1Ix6lEzG— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 26, 2026