Oscars 2026 Faces Backlash as Hema Malini Condemns Dharmendra's Omission from Memorial Segment

While the 2026 Oscars celebrated several artists from the world of cinema, Hema Malini has expressed her disappointment towards Hollywood's biggest ceremony, as her late husband, Dharmendra, was not a part of the televised In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards.

Calling it "a shame," she stated that he deserved the recognition. The legendary actor, widely known as the He-Man of Bollywood, passed away at the age of 89 in November last year. While he was a part of the extended In Memoriam list published on the website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), his omission from the live tribute sparked a wave of disappointment among fans.

Reacting to the matter, the actress shared that it was unfortunate. "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," she told Bollywood Hungama. "Dharamji was known and recognized everywhere."

However, Hema Malini further added that Dharmendra himself would not have been bothered by the absence. "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," the actress noted. "But awards always eluded him. Even I didn’t get any award for my best performances in Lal Patthar and Meera." (Agencies)

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