‘Woh kaam adhura reh gaya’: Hema Malini breaks down at Dharmendra prayer meet

Actor and politician Hema Malini on Thursday organised a prayer meet in Delhi for her late husband and legendary star Dharmendra, who died at the age of 89 on November 24.

Several members from the political fraternity and the film industry marked their presence at the prayer meet, honouring the late legend.  Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda, and scores of ministers and parliamentarians were spotted offering condolences to Hema Malini and her daughters, Esha and Ahana, at the prayer meet.

Many even remembered Dharmendra with heartfelt words in their speeches, but it was Hema Malini's tribute that left everyone truly emotional.

During the ceremony, an emotional Hema Malini stepped up to the podium and delivered a profoundly moving tribute. Her voice trembled as each word carrying the weight of her memories of Dharmendra.

"Aaj ke is prarthna sabha mein main aap sabka swagat karte hue, main bahut hi bhavuk ho rahi hoon.  I never imagined that a moment would come in my life when I would have to host a prayer meeting, especially for my Dharam ji. The whole world is mourning his passing, but for me, it is an inconsolable shock," she added.

She also talked about Dharmendra always supported her.

"Jis shakhs ke saath maine kai filmon mein pyaar ka abhinay kiya, wahi mere jeevansaathi ban gaye. Humara pyaar sachcha tha, toh hum kisi bhi paristhiti ka saamna karne ki himmat thi. Hum dono ne shaadi ki. Woh mere liye ek bohot hi samarpeet jeevansaathi baney. Woh mere liye prernadayak ek mazboot stambh bankar har shan, har kadam pe mere saath khadey rahe," Hema Malini recalled.

Hema Malini went on to speak about Dharmendra's unfinished dream of writing a book. She reminisced about his innate gift for poetry and how he longed to turn his heartfelt words into a published work.

"Over time, a hidden aspect of his personality emerged.. jab woh Urdi ki Shayari karne lage. Unki khaas baat yahi thi koi bhi paristithi ho woh uske anusar turant ek sher suna dete the...yeh unki khoobi thi. I often told him he should write a book - his fans would have loved it. So, he was very serious about it and was planning everything but woh kaam par adhura reh gaya."

Dharmendra's passing marked the end of an era in Hindi cinema. Over the decades, he earned admiration for his versatility across genres and became one of the industry's most loved stars.