Govinda's wife and influencer Sunita Ahuja remembered Dharmendra as Hindi cinema's "true He-Man" and a warm, generous soul. She attended the prayer meet held at Hema Malini's residence on Thursday and said the family, friends and fans are all grieving deeply.
What's Happening
- Sunita said the gathering at Hema Malini's home was marked by bhajans and quiet remembrance.
- "Hema ji had kept a path of Bhagavad Gita and bhajans. So, we all listened to the bhajans. I couldn't stop crying in front of Hema ji," she shared.
- Speaking about how Hema Malini is coping, she added, "What can one say... it's a huge loss. He was such a legend. I couldn't stop crying. He was my childhood crush. I respect their family so much. I am really broken at the moment."
Sunita Recalls Performing With Dharmendra
Looking back at her earliest interactions with Dharmendra, Sunita recalled performing with him on stage.
She said, "I had performed with Dharam ji on Sony TV to 'Chalkaye Jaam'. I had shared the stage with him... it was so special for me. I respect him and his family a lot. I'm very close to Esha Deol too... my whole family is. We are big fans of Dharmendra ji."
She added, "In fact, I got married to Govinda because I felt he resembled Dharmendra. He is not that handsome; Dharmendra ji was the most handsome man in the industry. He was a true He Man of the industry and worked till the very last. He was a true desi, a largehearted man."
She also met Dharmendra a few months ago during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. "I met him two months earlier during Ganpati. I went with my son Yashvardhan. Esha had invited me for Ganpati. When Yash was born, I always wished that he had the qualities and looks of Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra."
Background
Sunita added that her husband Govinda, had already met the Deol family soon after the actor's death. "Yash and I are very much in contact with Esha. Hema ji also loves us a lot. After Dharmendra ji passed away, Govinda had visited Sunny and Bobby Deol to pay condolences. I couldn't go then as I was not in Mumbai. When I returned, I got to know about the prayer meet. So I went there on Thursday."
She said she missed the earlier prayer meet organised by the Deols at Taj Lands End. "I couldn't go there. I just met Hema ji and Esha. Govinda went to pay tribute to Dharam ji at the prayer meet."
Sunita attended the gathering with her son, Yashvardhan Ahuja. Mahima Chaudhry and Esha Deol's former husband Bharat Takhtani were also present.
Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema's most beloved stars, died on November 24 due to age-related ailments.
After a brief hospitalisation at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, he was shifted to the family home in Juhu, where he continued treatment.
The Deol family held a prayer meeting on Thursday, which saw many from the film industry, including Shah Rukh Khan and his family, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Malaika Arora and others, come together to pay their respects.
The gathering concluded with singer Sonu Nigam performing some of Dharmendra's most cherished songs, as the family chose to honour his legacy with music and memories.
