New Delhi: In an emotional and heartfelt moment, Hema Malini received Dharmendra’s posthumous Padma Vibhushan Award from President Droupadi Murmu on Monday.
Hema’s late husband, the He-Man of Bollywood, died on November 24 last year, days before his 90th birthday. Dharmendra, who worked in over 300 films during a career spanning 65 years, had received a Padma Bhushan in 2012.
Hema and Dharmendra’s younger daughter Ahana Deol, who was among the audience at Rashtrapati Bhavan, broke down as the President presented the award to Hema. Their elder daughter Esha, as well as Sunny and Bobby Deol – Dharmendra’s sons from his first marriage – could not be present at the function.
President Droupadi Murmu confers #PadmaVibhushan upon veteran actor #Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous), popularly known as the ‘He-Man’ of Bollywood
One of the most versatile and successful actors in the history of Hindi cinema, he left an indelible mark on Indian cinema… pic.twitter.com/HQ2lwzMtXO
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 25, 2026
“It’s an emotional moment for me. Ahana is with me, Esha wanted to come but could not make it here. The entire family is happy. Sunny, Bobby, everyone is aware of this and it’s a big moment for all of us,” Hema told HT City ahead of the Awards ceremony.
As many as 44 stalwarts from the entertainment industry received the Padma awards on Monday. Among the posthumous awardees was Satish Shah (Padma Shri), who had a career spanning 49 years and died on October 25, 2025, at the age of 74.
Actors R Madhavan, Mammootty and Prasenjit Chatterjee, and singer Alka Yagnik also received their awards in person from the President.
