Hema Malini credited Dharmendra as her ultimate pillar of strength. She highlighted his unwavering support, which shaped her creative longevity
Photo:Poster of the film
Hema Malini celebrated her milestone, Diamond Jubilee in Indian cinema with a grand charity event titled Hema Malini: Live in Concert on July 10, 2026, at the Sri Shanmukhananda Auditorium in Mumbai. Organised in partnership with writer- dire c tor R J Anirudh Chawla, the evening served a dual purpose : celebrating her multi-decade career since her 1963 film debut and honouring her late husband, the legendary actor Dharmendra, who passed away in late 2025.
A dedicated segment of the musical evening served as a shraddhanjali (homage) to Dharmendra, revisiting his legacy through iconic collaborative hit songs. For the first time ever, Hema Malini took centerstage for a live singing performance. The show featured a massive live orchestra performing chartbusters from her timeless classics like Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta, and Johny Mera Naam. Notable industry veterans attending included Ramesh Sippy (Hema’s Sholay director), her co – stars Shatrughan Sinha, Jeetendra, and Rakesh Roshan, alongside special family appearances by her daughter Esha Deol and niece Madho o. Musical performances featured industry icons like Kavi ta Krishnamurthy, Suresh Wadkar, Anup Jalota and Sudesh Bhosale.
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The Diamond Jubilee event was structured as a charity initiative . In honour of Dharmendra’s deep bond with the film fraternity’s grassroots workers, 10 lakhs from the ticket sales are being donated directly to the CINTAA (Cine & TV Artistes’ Association) and the FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) to support artists and technicians in need.
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The concept originally emerged while RJ Anirudh Chawla was collaborating with the actress on her upcoming book, Hema Malini: The Story of Hema Malini in Her Own Words. Dharmendra had actively participated in early discussions about the book’s song list prior to his passing. The multi-platform celebration will eventually expand into a comprehensive documentary chronicling Hema Malini’s evolution from an actress to a global cultural icon.
A SIX-DECADE LEGACY IN CINEMA
Reflecting on her career, Hema Malini shared deeply personal milestones from her transition from a classical dancer to one of Hindi cinema’s ultimate screen icons. Originally solely focused on Bharatnatyam, her career path beautifully shifted to encapsulate both dance and cinema under her mother’s guidance. She recalled the 1970s and 1980s as the most vibrant chapters of her acting career, driven by iconic characters like Basanti in Sholay (1975) and her dual role in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972).
Even as film roles decreased later in life, she kept moving forward by hosting grand dance ballets and serving the nation as a Member of Parliament. Hema Malini credited Dharmendra as her ultimate pillar of strength. She highlighted his unwavering support , which shaped her creative longevity. She fondly recalled Dharmendra’s advice whenever her film offers slowed down: “Never think that just because you’re doing fewer films, it’s the end of the road… Just keep going. Don’t stop.”
He was deeply inspired by her constant drive to dance, create, and remain active, continuously pushing her to embrace new stages. Reflecting on his journey from a young boy on a tube-well farm in Punjab to the beloved “He-Man” of India, she shared how profoundly proud she feels that a legend loved by the entire world loved her. In her emotional recollections, Hema Malini touched upon Dharmendra’s last message and his greatest wish, keeping the entire family united. She spoke warmly of his sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, noting that despite their quiet and private nature, the family remains happy, closely knit, and deeply protective of the legend’s memory. Speaking exclusively to this writer Hema Malini says, “It was a very moving experience.
It was like my entire life flashed through my eyes. To see so much love for me and Dharamji first-hand was an overwhelming experience. I couldn’t hold back my tears. You know, I’ve become very vulnerable after Dharamji. It was not easy to move me to tears earlier. Now any memory of his triggers off tears. She admits to a vacuum in her life. “Woh bhar nahin raha hai(that emptiness won’t leave me”. Dharamji was my life partner, my soulmate. I can’t wait to meet him again.”
(The writer is a veteran film critic and journalist)
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