In an unusual yet deeply emotional day of mourning, two separate prayer meetings were held in Mumbai on November 27 to honour the late screen icon Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24 at his Juhu residence.
Two prayer meets for Dharmendra
The first prayer service was organised by Dharmendra’s first wife Prakash Kaur, along with their sons Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. Held at a Bandra hotel, the meet—titled Celebration of Life—brought together a large number of colleagues, friends and members of the film industry.
Dharmendra’s second wife Hema Malini and daughters Esha and Ahana Deol also conducted a separate prayer meet at Hema’s bungalow. Close family friends arrived quietly through the day to offer their condolences.
At Hema Malini’s prayer meet
The gathering at Hema Malini’s residence was marked by a serene bhajan sandhya. Sunita Ahuja, who attended the service with her son Yashvardhan, spoke fondly of the actor and the emotional atmosphere inside the home.
“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,” Sunita shared. When asked how Hema was 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 am really broken at the moment.”
Sunita also revisited cherished memories, recalling a stage performance with Dharmendra and a recent meeting during Ganesh Chaturthi. She said, “He was a true He Man of the industry and worked till the very last. He was a true desi, a largehearted man.”
Several others, including actress Mahima Chaudhry and Bharat Takhtani, were also spotted at Hema’s prayer meet. Sunita clarified that she could not attend the Deol family’s service at Taj Lands End but had met Hema and Esha soon after returning to Mumbai.
At Sunny and Bobby Deol’s ‘Celebration of Life’
The evening ceremony at a Bandra hotel saw an overwhelming turnout from the film fraternity, underscoring Dharmendra’s monumental influence across generations.
The Deol family—Sunny, Bobby, their sisters Ajeeta and Vijeta, grandsons Karan and Rajveer, and nephew Abhay Deol—came together publicly for the first time since the actor’s demise.
Notably, Hema Malini, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol did not attend this prayer meet.
A long list of celebrities—Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karan Johar, Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, Sidharth Malhotra, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Ameesha Patel, Nimrat Kaur, Sonu Sood, Anil Sharma, Abbas-Mastan and many others—visited to pay their respects.
A Tribute crafted with love
The hotel’s garden was transformed into a warm, nostalgic memorial. Floral arrangements framed the venue, while multiple LED screens played a moving montage of Dharmendra’s iconic scenes from films like Sholay, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Apne and Batwara. Personal photographs from his social media accounts were woven into the visuals, offering glimpses of the man behind the legend.
At the centre, a large portrait of Dharmendra overlooked the gathering as singers performed his evergreen songs. Sonu Nigam led the musical tribute with renditions of “Main Kahi Kavi Na Ban Jau”, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”, “Apne Toh Apne Hote Hai”, “Ro Lene De” and “Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge”, leaving many visibly moved.
Security remained tight as hundreds filed in throughout the evening to honour the actor’s memory.
Dharmendra, 89, had been battling age-related health issues and was shifted from Breach Candy Hospital to his Juhu home shortly before his death.
