Bold truth: fans deserved one last glimpse of Dharmendra, but private family rituals kept them at a distance. This is the core tension at the heart of the recent reflections from Hema Malini, which have surfaced through UAE-based filmmaker Hamad Al Reyami. The gist is that Dharmendra’s final days were excruciatingly difficult, and the family chose privacy to spare him—and themselves—from enduring a public, painful farewell.
Hamad Al Reyami described his conversation with Hema Malini after her husband’s passing, sharing that she opened up about the reasons behind opting for a private funeral. According to him, she spoke of the severe suffering Dharmendra endured in his last days and of the family’s inability to bear witness to his condition. The filmmaker even posted a note with an image of Hema Malini, including an Arabic caption that translates roughly to a somber reflection on a visit during the mourning period and the sense of heartbreak surrounding that moment.
In his account, Hamad recounted a vivid memory of Hema Malini’s emotions: she appeared visibly distressed, and, in a trembling voice, expressed a wish that she had been with Dharmendra at the farm two months earlier, hoping to have seen him then. She recalled how Dharmendra had often urged her to publish his poems and writings, to let his words see the light of day, while he kept delaying them—an act of restraint that time did not spare. Ultimately, time claimed him.
Hamada highlighted Hema Malini’s bitter reflection that strangers would soon write about Dharmendra and compile books about him, while his own words might remain unpublished. She also explained the private funeral’s rationale: she lamented that his fans couldn’t say a final goodbye, but she emphasized that Dharmendra never wanted to appear weak, and he shielded his pain even from close family. After his death, the family alone held the prerogative to decide what would be publicly shared or withheld.
Hamag recalled a poignant moment when Hema Malini paused, wiped away a tear, and affirmed that perhaps the private farewell was a mercy—viewed through the lens of those who loved him, who found it unbearable to witness his final days. She described Dharmendra as a man of charisma who contributed immensely to cinema, and Hamad closed his note by saluting him as a lifelong hero, a legendary superstar.
Dharmendra passed away at 89 on November 24, just shy of his 90th birthday on December 8. He had been unwell for some time and had been hospitalized on November 10. He left hospital for home care and was cremated in Mumbai on November 25, with the presence of family and industry friends. Notables such as Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Salim Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan attended the crematorium to pay their respects.
Earlier in the week, a memorial prayer gathering, titled Celebration of Life, was held in Mumbai. Hosted by the Deol family, the event drew attendees including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rekha, and Aishwarya Rai, among others, as a tribute to the late actor.
