- By Tanya Garg
- Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:26 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Hema Malini has finally opened up about the days before Dharmendra passed away, and her remarks are filled with love, grief, and unresolved regret. Many admirers were disappointed and perplexed by the legendary actor's family's decision to keep his dying rites private. The actor, who passed away on November 24 at the age of 89, spent his final weeks in a vulnerable state. Now, Hema Malini has clarified why the family believed it was a respectable thing to do.
Hema Malini remarked about how Dharmendra’s final days were terribly difficult, according to filmmaker Hamad Al Reyami, who saw the veteran actor recently following Dharmendra's demise. She confessed that his health fell dramatically in the previous two months, and watching him go through continual discomfort crushed the family. Dharmendra was hospitalised earlier in November and was brought home to recover, but his medical condition only got worse.
Hema Malini revealed that he was no longer the strong, charismatic man the world knew him as. His voice had deteriorated, movement became harder, and the anguish was apparent. She acknowledged that the family did not want everyone to perceive him that way, particularly his admirers who have always loved him as a representation of warmth, charm, and power.
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Recalling the conversation with Hema Malini, he shared, "She said to me bitterly, 'Now strangers will come… they will write about him, they will compose books… while his own words never saw the light of day'." Hamad Al Reyami said, "Then she added, with deep sadness, that she regretted his fans hadn't had the chance to see him one last time. And she said to me in a motherly tone: 'Dharmendra, throughout his life, never wanted anyone to see him weak or ill. He hid his pain even from his closest relatives. And after a person passes away, the decision rests with the family'."
Hema Malini acknowledged that she regretted not being at the farm on a specific day and that she wished she had been by his side during some pivotal occasions.
Hema Malini's First Photo After Dharmendra's Demise
In addition to sharing his recent encounter with Hema Malini following the death of her husband, Hamad Al Reyami took to Instagram to share a picture with Dream Girl of Bollywood. "On the third day of mourning, I visited the legendary actress Hema Malini, wife of the late superstar Dharmendra. It was the first time I had met her in person, although I had seen her from afar on many previous occasions. But this time was different… a painful, heartbreaking occasion, the kind of thing that is almost incomprehensible, no matter how hard I try," the translated caption read.
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Dharmendra Dies At 89
Dharmendra passed away at the age of 89 on November 24 ahead of his 90th birthday on December 8. He was discharged from Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital and was recovering at home. The 'He-Man' of Bollywood was cremated in Mumbai on November 25 in the presence of his immediate family members and loved ones from the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Salim Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.




