The 98th Academy Awards or popularly known as the Oscars was held on March 15, 2026 in Los Angeles. While the global fans enjoyed the night throughout, one name or lack thereof, left the Indian fans displeased. The ceremony failed to include legendary actor Dharmendra during the live segment of its "In Memoriam" segment.
Dharmendra was a veteran actor who passed away in November 2025 at the age of 89. With a remarkable career of 65 years in the industry, he appeared in over 300 films. Often referred to as the 'He-Man' of Bollywood, Dharmendra has always had a huge amount of fan following.
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The BAFTA Awards that took place on Feb. 23, 2026, honored Dharmendra for his contribution to Indian cinema and for his legacy throughout. With being recognised on an international platform, Hema Malini had expressed heartfelt gratitude, mentioning how it is a huge honour for the country as well.
Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar were mentioned in the list of "In Memoriam" section on the official website of the Oscars. However, there was no mention during the live telecast. Previously, with the BAFTA Awards honour, Indian fans in particular were eager to see the names being commemorated.
However, as the veteran actor's name got snubbed, Hema Malini slammed the decision taken by the powers that be at the Oscars. "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. Dharamji was known and recognised everywhere,” she said.
However, she added that Oscar's not mentioning him would not affect them, as they are grateful to be loved in India. “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. But awards always eluded him. Even I didn't get any award for my best performances in Lal Patthar and Meera," she added.
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As per Hindustan Times, she said, "Personally, Dharam ji never bothered about all this! The love from his fans was above everything. I thank everyone for their concern and for remembering him with such affection even now. The love and respect people have for Dharmendra mean a great deal to us. Oscars should have mentioned Dharamji's name certainly.”
Dharmendra's last screen appearance was in 'Ikkis', which released on Jan. 1, 2026, concluding his iconic journey in the Indian cinema.
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