Author and columnist Shobhaa De recently opened up about why a state funeral for veteran actor Dharmendra was "richly" deserving. Dharmendra died on November 24 at the age of 89.
What's Happening
- In conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Shobhaa De said, "I completely agree; I have written about it as well. There have been others in the past from the film industry who were given that honour. And he richly deserved it; he was so loved. It seemed like either an oversight or there were political reasons why it didn't happen."
- She continued, "Given his background and Hema's background, all it would have needed perhaps was a nudge or a call. If Sridevi could get a state funeral, she was also a much-loved star. Surely someone of Dharmendra's stature should have got one too."
- "Dharmendra was critical and ailing, and it was a matter of days; it was known to everybody. So, if something had to be organised, it could have happened in the interim. I'm not quite sure why it didn't happen. It could have taken one phone call from Hema herself; she is a parliamentarian and quite high in the BJP hierarchy," added Shobhaa De.
Shobhaa De On Dharmendra's Prayer Meet Hosted By Hema Malini
Furthermore, recalling the separate prayer meet hosted by Hema Malini in Delhi, Shobhaa De spoke about how Hema Malini would only address him as "Dharam Ji", and not as her husband.
She shared, "Maybe the family didn't want a state funeral. Who am I to say why it didn't happen? But it does seem a bit strange and very disappointing. She was still his wife for over 40 years; she has emphasised that over and over again. Whether she was officially recognised as his wife by the party hierarchy, I have no idea."
She added, "There were two parallel families over four decades. Dharam Ji had always acknowledged them as his own, his daughters in particular and certainly Hema. If access was denied, I think maybe some more grace should have been shown."
Dharmendra's Prayer Meetings
The first prayer meeting, held on November 27 at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, was hosted by the Deol family and saw an overwhelming turnout from the film fraternity. At the entrance, Dharmendra's sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, along with other family members, stood with folded hands, expressing gratitude as friends and colleagues arrived to pay homage.
The tribute concluded with a musical segment by Sonu Nigam, who performed some of Dharmendra's most cherished songs, including Aa Ja Jaane Wale, Rahe Na Rahe Hum, Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai, and Apne Toh Apne Hote Hain.
Among the celebrities who attended were Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Tiger Shroff, Vidya Balan, Aryan Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Suresh Oberoi, and several others.
While many made their way to Taj Lands End, some chose to visit Hema Malini at her Mumbai residence to personally extend their condolences. Mahima Chaudhry, Fardeen Khan, and Sunita Ahuja, with her son Yashvardhan, were among those who met the actress privately.
Before the Delhi prayer meeting, Hema Malini also held a Gita Paath at her home in memory of Dharmendra.
Hema Malini, hosted a prayer meeting at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi, on December 11.
Esha Deol and her former husband, Bharat Takhtani, were present at Dharmendra's prayer meeting in Delhi. Ahana Deol's husband, Vaibhav Vohra, also joined the family at the gathering.
