Actor-politician Hema Malini has said that her late husband, Dharmendra, will be given tribute at Delhi’s first International Film Festival Delhi (IFFD) 2026. Speaking to ANI, ahead of the inauguration of the festival in the national capital, Hema Malini said that she will receive the award. The event begins in Delhi on Wednesday.
Dharmendra to be honoured at Delhi’s film festival
Hema said, “I would like to congratulate Rekha Gupta ji for organising the International Film Festival in Delhi. It is going to be there for 4-5 days. She has also invited many artists. Many artists will be honoured at the festival. They are also paying tribute to Dharam ji… So, I will be there to receive it.”
Which celebs will attend International Film Festival Delhi
The festival will kick off on Wednesday evening at Bharat Mandapam, with a grand opening ceremony hosted by Arjun Kapoor and Nimrat Kaur. The evening will feature appearances by Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Anupam Kher, and Lauren Gottlieb, setting the tone for a week defined by strong talent presence and cross-industry exchange.
The week-long festival will run from March 25-31. It will offer a series of screenings, discussions, and industry events across various venues in New Delhi, uniting filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences from around the globe.
Recently, when Dharmendra was not mentioned in the In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards, Hema called it “a shame”. In an interview with Subhash K Jha for Bollywood Hungama, Hema had said, “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 had added, “He never got too many awards during his lifetime. Why should he care about the Oscars? Both of us 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.”
About Dharmendra’s death
The veteran actor was hospitalised in early November 2025 due to deteriorating health. Soon after, rumours about his death began circulating online. However, daughter Esha Deol and wife Hema Malini dismissed these rumours, and he was brought back to his family home in Mumbai.
On November 24, Dharmendra breathed his last, leaving the film industry in mourning. His last rites were performed in the presence of his family. He is survived by his two wives, Hema Malini and Prakash Kaur, and six children, including Bobby Deol, Sunny Deol, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.
Dharmendra’s final film, Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan, released in theatres on January 1. His performance was widely praised by critics and audiences alike.
