Hema Malini slams Academy Awards for omitting Dharmendra from televised Oscars 2026 ‘In Memoriam’ segment

Dharmendra, fondly known as the “He-Man of Bollywood,” passed away in November last year at the age of 89 following an age-related illness. Dharmendra is widely regarded as one of the most iconic stars of Hindi cinema, with a career spanning several decades and hundreds of films. His performances in action, romance, and drama made him a beloved figure among audiences not only in India but also across many parts of the world.

The Oscars 2026 paid tribute to celebrities who passed away. The live broadcast of the ceremony remembered several well-known international film personalities who died recently. Among those honoured were Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Robert Redford, Udo Kier, Rob Reiner, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman and Val Kilmer.

While his name appeared in the extended In Memoriam list on the Oscars’ official website, that particular segment was not telecast live. This irked netizens. After the Oscars telecast, several fans took to social media to express disappointment that the veteran actor was not mentioned during the ceremony’s televised tribute.

Reacting to the development in an interaction with Bollywood Hungama, Hema Malini said, “It is a shame, of course. A shame for them to have overlooked an actor who means so many things to so many people in many parts of the world. Dharamji was known and recognised everywhere.”

“He never got too many awards during his lifetime. Why should he care about the Oscars? Both of us, we were happy to be loved in our country. But awards always eluded him,” she said.

Speaking to HT City, Hema Malini said, “Personally, Dharam ji never bothered about all this, but the Oscars should certainly have mentioned Dharam ji’s name.”

Shatrughan Sinha and Esha Deol also slam the Oscars

Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, who worked with Dharmendra in films such as Blackmail and Dost, told Variety, “It is a matter of shame for them if they don’t honour Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar and now Dharmendra. Why does it matter to us? They are entrenched in our hearts forever.”

Meanwhile, Dharmendra’s daughter Esha Deol shared that the omission would not have affected her father. “I don’t think it would ever make a difference to Papa. His heart has always been far too big to worry about such things. For him, life was never about recognition or status, it was about love, kindness and the place he held in people’s hearts,” she said.

This is not the first time a legendary Indian artist has been left out of the Oscars’ In Memoriam segment. In the past, the Academy faced criticism for excluding Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.