Hema Malini Chose “Dignity Over One-Upmanship” After Dharmendra’s Passing, Says Shobhaa De

In a deeply personal interview with Barkha Dutt on Mojo Story, noted columnist Shobhaa De has shed light on the silent rift within the Deol family following the death of legendary actor Dharmendra. According to De, the “Dream Girl” was effectively sidelined by Dharmendra’s first family during the official mourning period, a situation Hema Malini handled with remarkable restraint.¹

Dharmendra passed away at the age of 89 on November 24, 2025, leaving behind a complex legacy and two parallel families.²

🏛️ Key Highlights from Shobhaa De’s Interview

Shobhaa De’s observations focus on the grace shown by Hema Malini in the face of public exclusion:

• The Sidelining: De claimed that Hema was “totally left out” by Dharmendra’s first wife, Prakash Kaur, and her sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol.³ Despite spending 45 years with Dharmendra, she was absent from the grand Mumbai prayer meet organized by the Deol brothers.
• Refusal to “Hijack”: De pointed out that Hema Malini, being a “towering personality” and an MP, could have easily turned the funeral into a media circus or a battle of “one-upmanship.” Instead, she chose to keep her grief private.
• Choosing Dignity: “She could have hijacked those emotional moments… The media would have loved to cover every tear,” De remarked. Instead, Hema opted for a separate, quiet ceremony at her residence to avoid a public tamasha.⁴

🕯️ A Tale of Two Prayer Meets

The divide in the family became apparent when two distinct ceremonies were held on the same day, November 27:

Later, on December 11, Hema Malini organized a larger public prayer meet in Delhi at the Ambedkar International Centre.⁵ It was attended by high-profile politicians, including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, where Hema broke down while speaking about her 57-year association with “Dharam ji.”⁶

🎥 Esha Deol’s “Inclusive” Tribute

While Shobhaa De highlighted the friction, Dharmendra’s daughter Esha Deol made a subtle attempt to bridge the gap.⁷ On December 12, she shared a tribute video that—surprising many—included rare photographs of Prakash Kaur, Sunny, and Bobby Deol.⁸

Critics and fans viewed this as a “class act,” proving that Hema’s daughters still hold respect for their father’s first family, even if the sentiment isn’t always visibly mutual.

🎞️ The Final Curtain

Dharmendra’s final screen appearance will be in the upcoming war drama “Ikkis,” starring Agastya Nanda.⁹ His family remains divided in their grieving process, but as Shobhaa De noted, Hema Malini’s refusal to turn a personal loss into a public scandal has only added to her stature