Dharmendra’s fans angry, name not included in Oscar’s ‘In Memoriam’

Mumbai: The ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the 98th Oscar Awards has deeply shocked the fans of veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra. In this difficult ceremony held in Los Angeles, while many eminent faces of Hollywood were paid tribute, Dharmendra’s name was not taken on the stage, which has caused a lot of disappointment among the Indian cinema lovers.

Disappointment among fans due to absence of Dharmendra’s name

Dharmendra, also known as ‘He-Man’ and ‘Garam Dharam’, acted in hundreds of films in his career spanning over 60 years. Classic films like ‘Sholay’, ‘Sita Aur Geeta’, and ‘Chupke Chupke’ earned him a special place in the hearts of the audience. He breathed his last in November 2025 at the age of 89, after which his fans hoped that he would get due respect on a global platform like the Oscars.

Tribute to Rob Reiner by Billy Crystal

This time the ‘In Memoriam’ segment ran for a long time, in which many Hollywood legends like Rob Reiner, Catherine O’Hara, Diane Keaton and Robert Redford were specially remembered. Billy Crystal paid an emotional tribute to Rob Reiner, while Rachel McAdams noted the unique contributions of Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton. However, the name of any Indian cinema artist was not included in this segment. The Academy later published a detailed ‘In Memoriam’ list on its website, in which Dharmendra’s name was included.

Manoj Kumar, B. Mention of Saroja Devi and Kota Srinivas Rao

This list includes other veteran actors of Indian cinema like Manoj Kumar, B. Saroja Devi and Kota Srinivasa Rao are also mentioned. But these names did not find a place in the segment telecast on TV, which increased the controversy further. Many fans called it a ‘snub’ and insisted that the Oscars remain primarily focused on Hollywood. Over the years, the Oscars have recognized Indian cinema, with stars such as Irrfan Khan, Sridevi, Shashi Kapoor, Bhanu Athaiya, and Nitin Chandrakant Desai being remembered ‘In Memoriam’. Thus, the absence of an icon like Dharmendra from the show has been a big disappointing moment for his fans. Many believe that the global contribution of Indian cinema should be more recognized.