Updated on: Jan 05, 2026 03:21 pm IST
Veteran actor Dharmendra passed away at 89, leaving the Deol family devastated. Hema Malini spoke about the distressing media attention during his illness.
2025 ended on a deeply sombre note for the Deol family as veteran actor Dharmendra passed away at the age of 89 on November 24. In a recent interview with The Times of India, Hema Malini opened up about how the constant media attention during Dharmendra’s illness was distressing for the family.
Hema Malini says family faced harassment by paparazzi during Dharmendra’s illness
Dharmendra was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in the first week of November 2025. On November 10, rumours about his death surfaced online, leaving fans worried. However, Hema Malini and her daughter Esha Deol clarified at the time that the veteran actor was recovering well. Soon after, Dharmendra was taken back to his family home to continue his recovery.
During this period, paparazzi crowded around the Deol family’s house, and Sunny Deol lost his cool over the intrusion. He snapped at the photographers, calling them “shameless” for invading the family’s privacy during such a difficult time.
Reacting to the incident, Hema Malini said, “Sunny was getting upset and angry. We were all going through an emotional time, and the media was running behind our cars… harassment bahut hua (a lot of harassment happened).”
After Dharmendra passed away on November 24, Sunny had another heated confrontation with the paparazzi when they attempted to film him during the immersion of his late father’s ashes. A visibly frustrated Sunny was heard questioning the photographers, “Paise chahiye tereko, kitne paise chahiye? (You want money, how much money do you want?)”
About Dharmendra’s last film
Dharmendra’s final film, Ikkis, was released in theatres on January 1. Helmed by Sriram Raghavan, the film features Agastya Nanda in the lead role, along with Jaideep Ahlawat and Simar Bhatia in key roles. The film revolves around the bravery and sacrifice of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike and has so far collected ₹20 crore at the domestic box office.
