Top News

Shatrughan Sinha Meets Hema Malini After Dharmendra’s Death: 'It Was Heartbreaking...'
ABP Live Entertainment | December 1, 2025 6:41 PM CST

Veteran actor and parliamentarian Shatrughan Sinha has opened up about the emotional moments he shared with Hema Malini as she mourned the loss of her husband, screen legend Dharmendra. The actor died on November 24 at the age of 89.

On Monday, Sinha posted a set of photographs on X featuring himself with Dharmendra and Hema Malini. In a heartfelt note, he wrote about meeting Hema and spending time with the couple’s daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, as they navigated their grief.

“Met our dearest family friend @dreamgirlhema. It was heartbreaking to meet her in these traumatic times of her tremendous loss of our dearest family friend our elder brother @aapkadharam. Met her two beautiful daughters @Esha_Deol #AhanaDeol with comforting words for their immense loss,” he shared.

He went on to remember Dharmendra with affection: “Dharamji was a kind & gentle soul. He isn't with us today but his memories will live with us forever. Prayers & condolences for their peace in these difficult times. God bless them all.”

Sinha had worked with Dharmendra in films such as Blackmail (1973) and Zalzala (1988), and collaborated with Hema Malini in Hiraasat (1987) and Qaidi (1984). The trio also appeared together in the 1974 classic Dost.

Hamad Al Reyami recalls his conversation with Hema Malini

Meanwhile, filmmaker Hamad Al Reyami shared his own account of meeting Hema Malini during the mourning period. Posting on Instagram, he described a deeply emotional conversation in which Hema recounted Dharmendra’s final days — a chapter the family wished to shield from public view.

He shared a photo from their meeting along with a note in Arabic, later paraphrased in English. According to him, Hema appeared visibly shaken and spoke with difficulty as she remembered their last moments together. He quoted her as saying, “I wish I had been at the farm on the same day I was with Dharmendra two months ago… I wish I had seen him there.”

Hamad wrote that she also reflected on Dharmendra’s unpublished writings, recalling her attempts to encourage him: “Why don’t you publish your beautiful poems and writings?” To which he would reply, “Not now… Let me finish some poems first.” Hamad added, “But time didn't spare him, and he passed away…”

He said Hema expressed sorrow that the world might now discover Dharmendra through others’ interpretations rather than his own words. “Now strangers will come… they will write about him, they will compose books… while his own words never saw the light of day,” she reportedly told him.

Why the funeral remained private

Addressing the widely discussed decision to keep Dharmendra’s funeral intimate, Hamad wrote that Hema explained her husband’s lifelong desire to protect his dignity. She told him, “Dharmendra, throughout his life, never wanted anyone to see him weak or ill. He hid his pain even from his closest relatives. And after a person passes away, the decision rests with the family.”

Hema then added, “But what happened was a mercy… because, Hamad, you couldn’t have borne to see him in that state. His condition in his final days was cruel… painful… and even we could hardly bear to see him like that.”

Hamad ended his tribute by remembering Dharmendra’s unparalleled charm, calling him, “My forever hero legendary Superstar DHARMENDRA.”

Dharmendra’s final rites and remembrance

Dharmendra, who had been hospitalised earlier in November, passed away just days before his 90th birthday. His cremation took place on November 25 in Mumbai, where several colleagues — including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Salim Khan — arrived to offer their final respects.

The Deol family later hosted a prayer service titled Celebration of Life, attended by prominent names such as Rekha, Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, who came together to honour the iconic actor.

READ NEXT
Cancel OK